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Why should women be concerned?
- Heart disease is the number one killer of women, claiming one in three women's lives.
- Many women believe that heart disease is a man's disease, so they do not perceive it as a serious health threat. Women's heart disease symptoms may be different from men's symptoms. For example, a woman might experience a severe migraine headache or an upset stomach. Often, women ignore these symptoms because they don't attribute them to heart disease.
- Heart disease in women often leads to significant health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and even death. You can help prevent heart disease by getting regular heart-health screenings and working to reduce your risk factors.
Who is at risk?
The major risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesity and being overweight, physical inactivity, and smoking. All are controllable. Other risk factors include diabetes, family history of heart disease and age. Some facts:
- Women who smoke risk having a heart attack 19 years earlier than nonsmoking women.
- Women with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack than women without diabetes.
- High blood pressure is more common in women taking oral contraceptives, especially in obese women.
- African American women are 72 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease than white women.
- More female Hispanic Americans die from heart disease and stroke than cancer, diabetes and accidents combined. Heart disease and stroke accounted for 33.1 percent of total deaths in 2000.
What can you do to prevent heart disease?
- Get a regular heart-health screening to monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
- Stop smoking.
- Increase your physical activity and adopt a healthy diet.
- Watch your weight — It’s not just about looks!
What is a heart-health screening?
The National Woman's Heart Day screening includes:
- Risk assessment questionnaire
- Finger prick, non-fasting blood test to determine cholesterol and glucose
- On-the-spot screening results
What if I can't attend the health fair?
For women who do not live in one of the six event cities or are unable to attend the event, talk to your physician or health care provider about getting a heart-health screening. Ask them to:
- Inform you about risk factors for heart disease
- Give you the normal ranges for key risks such as
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- High blood sugar or glucose
- Body mass index
Resources
The resources below can help you learn more about heart disease and what you can do to prevent it.
FACTS AND INFORMATION
- The National Women's Health Information Center
- The NIH Office of Research on Women's Health
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's HeartTruth Campaign is a national awareness campaign about heart disease aimed at women ages 40 to 60. The campaign features TV and radio public service announcements (PSAs), a speaker's guide, and other materials to help spread the word that heart disease is the number one killer of women.
- National Libraries of Medicine, MEDline Plus: Heart Diseases
- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
- Women Heart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
- Learn the warning signs for heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest and what to do if you recognize them in yourself or someone else.
- Check the Black Women's Health web page for facts about heart disease and special risks for African-American women, along with information on risk factors and prevention.
QUIZZES AND INTERACTIVE TOOLS
- Are you at risk for heart disease? Take this quiz to find out.
- Assess your risk for heart disease. You'll need your cholesterol/HDL and blood pressure.
- Calculate your BMI, or Body Mass Index, to gauge your body composition-the higher your BMI, the higher your risk of heart disease.
- Test your knowledge about cholesterol and heart disease.
- See how physical activity reduces your heart disease risk.
- Ask your doctor these questions about heart disease and your risks.
BOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES
These five National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute booklets below may be viewed online or ordered by clicking on the following links:
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