Attention women: If you think heart disease is only for men, think
again. Women get heart disease too. In fact, it’s the leading cause of
death in women, killing more women than all cancers combined, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why it’s so
important to understand what raises your risk -- and how you can lower
it.
For
both women and men, the risk for heart attacks rises with age. Having a
blood relative with heart disease increases your risk, too. You can’t
stop aging or change family members, but there are many risk factors for
heart disease that you can modify. They include:
• obesity
• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• lack of exercise
• tobacco use
The prescription for controlling these risk factors is familiar: Get plenty of exercise, eat a balanced diet, keep your weight
under control, don’t smoke, and see your doctor often. Get your
cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 45. If you are a tobacco
user or have diabetes, or if heart disease runs in your family, start
getting regular cholesterol checks at age 20. Have your blood pressure
taken at least every two years, or more frequently if you have already
been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Because women die of
heart attacks just as men do, you should know the symptoms to watch for.
For both men and women, the most common sign of a heart attack is pain
or discomfort in the center of the chest. It can be mild or strong, last
just a few minutes, or come and go. There may also be radiating pain
down the left arm. Some people – especially women -- will experience
atypical symptoms. These can include:
• pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• shortness of breath
• feeling like you can’t get enough air, which can occur before or along with the chest pain or discomfort
• nausea or vomiting
• feeling faint or woozy
• breaking out in a cold sweat
Certain other symptoms of a heart attack tend to occur exclusively in women, including:
• heartburn
• loss of appetite
• fatigue or weakness
• coughing
• heart flutters
• back or jaw pain
If
you think that you or someone else may be having a heart attack, call
911. Sometimes the signs of a heart attack can happen suddenly, but they
can also develop slowly, over hours, days, and even weeks before a
heart attack actually occurs. The more symptoms and signs you have, the
more likely it is that you are experiencing a heart attack. Also, if
you’ve already had a heart attack, your symptoms may differ if you have
another one.
Improving your heart disease awareness can be a lifesaver