Heart Disease

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women. It kills over half a million women every year, and has killed more women than men every year since 1984, according to the American Heart Association. However, researchers estimate that up to 80 percent of cases of heart disease could be prevented through heart-healthy behaviors (healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, etc).

So what is heart disease?

Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD) and ischemic heart disease, is a disease of the heart's blood vessels that, if untreated, can cause heart attacks. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients that are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is CHD.

Heart attack and stroke are common results of conditions that restrict or stop the blood flow to the heart or brain. At any given age, men have a greater risk of heart attack than women, but women are only half as likely as men to survive a heart attack and more likely to have a second attack. The AHA reports that 38 percent of women will die within a year of a heart attack, compared with only 25 percent of men. Women are also more likely than men to experience some of the lesser-known symptoms of a heart attack, such as nausea/vomiting, breaking out in a cold sweat and lightheadedness.

Risk factors for CHD include:

  • Smoking
  • High cholesterol levels
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Inactivity
  • Family history
  • Stress
  • Postmenopausal status

African-American women are more likely to die of CHD than Caucasian women. African-American women have greater incidence of high blood pressure and diabetes. They are also more likely to die from stroke and heart attacks than Caucasian women. Heart disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, Native Americans and native Hawaiians. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes in these ethnic groups.

(This information was provided by HealthyWomen. For more information on heart disease, click here. HealthyWomen is an NCWO affiliate.)

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