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Women and Heart Disease

Are You at Risk?

There are several risk factors that contribute to heart disease. Some, like gender, age and heredity, are uncontrollable. The good news is that many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease can be modified with lifestyle changes and/or medication. Which means the way you live can significantly impact how long you live. The following factors may put you at risk for heart disease.

High Blood Pressure

Women with high blood pressure face a greater risk of stroke, heart attack, or heart failure. Although high blood pressure is more common among men, post-menopausal women also have a high risk of developing the condition. In many cases, women can help control the condition by maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake to one drink per day, exercising regularly, following a heart-healthy diet, and reducing stress. Some people, however, may require medications to normalize their blood pressure.

Learn more about Lake Hospital System's free blood pressure screenings.

Smoking

If you smoke, you're two to six times more likely than a nonsmoker to have a heart attack. Consider these facts:

• Studies show that the more cigarettes you smoke regularly, the greater your risk of heart disease.
• There's a direct link between smoking and atherosclerosis, a thickening and hardening of the arteries.
• Smokers who take birth control pills are at the greatest risk for a heart attack.
• Constant exposure to secondhand smoke increases a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease
• Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke

It's time to quit! You can do it with the help of our smoking cessation program.

Type 2 Diabetes

Because women with type 2 diabetes have elevated levels of insulin in their bloodstreams, they're more prone to blood clots. This may explain why 75 percent of type 2 diabetics die of heart attacks or strokes. The risk of death from heart disease is three times greater for women with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes doubles the risk of a second heart attack in women but not in men.

Although there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, women can control this medical condition by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that type 2 diabetics could cut their risk of heart attack or stroke by exercising regularly. Based on findings from this long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk study of 3,000 people, researchers believe that regular exercise may improve a person's ability to dissolve blood clots and possibly lower the risk of CVD. Exercise accomplishes this feat because it makes the body more receptive to the effects of insulin.

Learn more about Lake Hospital System's diabetes education programs.

Obesity

Obesity not only doubles your risk of coronary disease and stroke, but also increases your likelihood of developing diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, which contribute to heart disease. If you're overweight, talk to your doctor about sensible ways to lose weight and eat healthfully. Also check out our education and support programs.

High Triglyceride/Cholesterol Levels

Women can cut their heart disease risk by controlling their triglyceride levels (levels of the most common type of fat in our bodies). In addition, about 25 percent of American women have high cholesterol levels (240 mg/dL or above), and more than half of women over age 55 in the United States need to lower their blood cholesterol. This waxy substance can cause hardening of the arteries, the major cause of heart attacks.

While excess weight tends to increase your blood cholesterol level, heredity and diet also play large parts. High cholesterol can run in families, and a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can cause high blood cholesterol. The good news is that you can lower your blood cholesterol levels and, in turn, slow, stop, or even reverse cholesterol buildup by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Lack of Physical Exercise

Regular physical exercise can reduce stress, help lower cholesterol and help you lose weight. All of which can contribute to a healthier heart. Experts recommend that you exercise at least 30-40 minutes a day, every day. But exercise doesn't mean running on a treadmill. Work with your doctor to find something you like so that you'll stick to it.

Learn more about Lake Hospital System's Get Healthy Lake County 10,000 Steps program.

Age

As we age, we become more and more susceptible to heart disease. In fact, four out of five people who die of a heart attack are over 65. And while men suffer attacks in large numbers overall, a woman's risk increases later in life, especially after menopause.

Family History

Have your parents had heart disease? Then be especially aware of the warning signs because you have a greater chance of developing cardiac problems yourself.