When a person's doctor tells them that they are at risk for heart disease it is often a shock. Most believe that it only happens to someone else and it is a reality check when the doctor says 'that someone else is you'. The things people do today will have an effect on their heart now and in the future. If your family has a history, this is something you have no control over but you can follow steps to prevent or lesson your chances. Whether you are male or female and the age group you are in also affects the risk.
Heart disease causes more deaths than any other disease in the United States. More than 700,000 people in the United States alone will die of this condition annually. At one time people thought of it as a man's disease. Statistics tell us that this is not true. Women between the ages of forty-five and sixty-four have a one in nine chance of some type of heart disease such as strokes, coronary artery disease or renal vascular disease. Women that are African American are at higher risk than average.
The Statistics
Accidents, cancer and diabetes, combined, kill less American women annually than heart disease. A third of all women's deaths are attributed to this disease.
Almost half a million women die annually from some form of cardiovascular disease.
Just less than a quarter million females die from heart attack annually.
Heart disease causes the death of forty percent of women that have heart disease.
We hear more about males and heart attacks because men are stricken usually in their mid years and women usually up to twenty years later. Menopause seems to be the starting point for women and heart disease.
Controlling the Risk
Cholesterol
- Have your doctor check your blood cholesterol level. Eat low cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet to reduce LDL or low-density lipoproteins.
Exercise
- You can lower chances of stroke and heart attack with physical activity and it helps control weight. Daily, do some form of physical activity such as walking for half an hour. For anyone that is not used to walking, start slow and gradually speed up your pace. Even small weight losses such as five pounds could possible help lower blood pressure and have a good effect on lipid levels.
Stop Smoking
- Cut back gradually or stop smoking completely as it is very hard on a person's lung and affects the heart.
Alcohol
- Six to eight ounces of alcohol daily can higher your blood pressure. Limit your intake to less than three ounces daily.
Diet
- Daily, eat at least five helpings of vegetables and fruit to prevent heart disease.
- Make sure your diet is high enough in calcium, dietary potassium and magnesium.
- Make sure your diet is low in saturated fats.
Statistics About Heart Disease
The risk of heart disease in women increases with age. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old, especially after menopause. Menopause is a normal stage in a woman's life; it comprises any of the changes a woman experiences either before or after she stops menstruating. As menopause nears, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen (a female hormone), causing changes in the menstrual cycle and other physical changes. Every year, more than 500,000 U.S. women die of heart disease. This translates to approximately one death every minute.
Heart disease in women is preventable as per the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association. Reason to understand the cause of heart disease in women could not be stressed enough. Heart disease kills 1 in 3 American women, but it doesn't have to be that way. 60% of U.S. women now know that heart disease is their No. 1 health threat.
Prevention is better than cure. Heart disease in women is preventable with a disease prevention strategy. The knowledge of heart disease occurs to a person when it is too late.
Here are some guide lines for a simple prevention plan for heart disease in women:
Women aged 20 and older should see a doctor to find out their heart disease risk.
Chnaces are that one in 10 women will learn that there is no real risk of heart disease. These women should continue their heart-healthy lifestyles.
Women who are at risk of heart disease, should think of preventing heart disease and stroke. These women must stop smoking, adopt a heart-healthy diet, get at least 30 minutes a day of exercise, and watch their weight. And under a medical supervision, some of these women may need blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering therapy, or regular aspirin.
Women who already have some existing condition making it more likely to suffer from heart disease or stroke, should additionaly to taking the measures advised above, go after some aggressive medical treatments or rehab.
Depression is very common in women with heart disease. All women with heart disease should be evaluated for depression.
Women should exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day, and for those women who want to lose weight, 60 to 90 minutes of daily exercise is recommended.
The risk of heart disease in women is increased by activities such as, diabetes and obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level and inactivity.
Heart disease in women though is on the increase, can be altered through some variations in life style. Clinical experience suggest the following general guidelines for preventing heart disease:
- Maintain blood pressure of less than 140/90 mmHg (120/80 is optimal)
- Maintain blood glucose of 80-120 mg/dL (less than 100 is optimal)
- Maintain total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL (and not less than 160) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) of less than 130 mg/dL (less than 100 is optimal)
- Exercise regularly (30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise three to five times weekly is optimal).
However, there are certain factors that cannot be influenced to prevent heart disease in women. Factors such as age, family history and menopause cannot be controlled or prevented.
But there are other factors that could be influenced, through exercising the right option. This could prevent death from heart disease in women. As indicated earlier, introducing some changes to our life style, and carrying a positive out look towards the meaning and purpose of life, women can fight this terrible disease and live more healthier and meaningful lives. Meditation, yoga, prayers and religous activities can have huge impacts on our life and provide the necessary inner strength to cope with the pain and pressure of heart disease.
Diabetes and high cholesterol, homocysteine, and blood pressure can be improved through diet, exercise, medication, and supplements. High C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, may help to identify those who would benefit from anti-inflammatory intervention. Diet, lifestyle changes, positive adaptation to stress, and supplements can assist in weight loss and help decrease stress. Quitting smoking will also reduce risk of heart disease in women. The scientific data strongly suggest that modification of these multiple risk factors can help to lessen heart disease risk and thus total mortality in women.
Both Joseph Then & Suresh U Vatakethil are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Suresh U Vatakethil has sinced written about articles on various topics from Disease & illness, Fitness. An accountant by profession, the author is involved in understanding the role of Yoga, meditation and nutrition in combating and reducing the risk of different kinds of diseases. The author has experienced the efficacy of really good nutritional food supp. Suresh U Vatakethil's top article generates over 1000 views. Bookmark Suresh U Vatakethil to your Favourites.
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