If you think heart disease is a man’s disease, think again. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and isn't something women should ignore since 80 percent of heart disease is preventable. There are simple lifestyle choices you can make to help prevent the disease.
To protect your heart, it’s also important to make your heart health a priority and understand the risk factors of the disease.
- Family history. If you have a parent who has or had heart disease, you’re more likely to be at risk. As well, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans are at a higher risk.
- High blood pressure. When you have high blood pressure (above 140/90), your heart has to work harder and your risk for heart disease increases.
- High cholesterol. Your risk for heart disease increases when your blood cholesterol level goes up.
- Obesity. Even when you don’t have other risk factors, being overweight or obese raises your risk of heart disease, particularly if you have fat around your midsection.
- Metabolic syndrome. Having a combination of three or more of these symptoms—a large waistline, insulin resistance, low levels of “good” cholesterol, and elevated triglyceride levels—raises the risk for heart disease.
While some heart disease risk factors affect both men and women, the following may have a bigger impact on women.
- Diabetes. Women who have diabetes are four to five times more likely to be at risk for heart disease. Part of the reason diabetes increases women’s risks for heart disease has to do with estrogen levels.
- Smoking. People who smoke are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease, but each cigarette may have a bigger impact on women. Women smokers have 25 percent more likelihood of getting heart disease than male smokers.
- Depression. Depression isn’t an independent risk factor for heart disease but it’s associated with higher risk.
Keep in mind that although the stereotypical portrayal of a heart attack is one with intense chest-clutching, desperate gasping for air followed by a person dropping motionless to the ground, not all heart attacks are like that, especially when it comes to heart disease in women.
Chest pain, including pressure, tightness or squeezing, happens in only 50 percent of women having a heart attack. Signs of a heart attack in women can also include fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and pale or clammy skin. Women should also be aware that even if these symptoms come and go, they could still be signs of a heart attack.
Heart disease is preventable if you are proactive. Do as much as you can to lower your risk and keep your heart healthy for years to come.
--C. Jennifer Dankle, DO, is a cardiologist at University of Minnesota Physicians Heart at Fairview Southdale Hospital. She specializes in women’s heart health, imaging, and heart disease prevention. Visit umphysicians.org/heart for more information about Dr. Dankle. Or to schedule an appointment, call 612-365-5000.
