Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. One in three American women dies of heart disease.
How do you know if you have a heart disease?
The symptoms of heart disease can be different for women so symptoms are often overlooked or misdiagnosed. Here are some symptoms that women should look for:
- Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest for more than 20 minutes
- Arm, back, neck, jaw or stomach pain or discomfort lasting more than 20 minutes
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweat
- Nausea
- Feeling faint
- Unusual tiredness or difficulty sleeping
- Indigestion (upset stomach)
- Anxiety
Risk factors you cannot control:
- Pre–existing coronary heart disease, previous heart problems
- Age: the risk increases after age 55
- Family history: a father or brother diagnosed before age 55, a sister or mother diagnosed before age 65
Risk factors you can control:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Overweight
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
An action plan for heart health should include:
- Stopping smoking
- Eating healthy
- Becoming physically active every day
- Getting tested and managing diabetes
- Managing stress
- Gathering support from family and friends
- Receiving regular cholesterol tests
- Checking blood pressure
Overlooking the risk of heart disease can be fatal!
Even though it’s not nearly as talked about, heart disease is more deadly than breast cancer. One in two women dies of heart disease or stroke, compared to one in thirty women who dies of breast cancer.
