Women & Heart Disease

It May Be a Man's World, But It's Not just a Man's Problem. We're talking about heart disease. It's now the number one killer of women in the U.S. Over one-third of the deaths of women over 20 are caused b cardiovascular disease. !he latest estimates show that "2 million women in the U.S. are living with cardiovascular disease. #ut each ear$ more women than men will die of it. Sur%rised& !hought heart disease was something onl old men have to worr about& 'ou're %robabl not the onl one. (nd that's a big %art of wh women are at such risk--the never saw it coming. !he (merican )eart (ssociation's Go Red1 !or Women *am%aign +link to htt%,--www.goredforwomen.org". wants to change that. *reated in 200"$ this active movement is all about shifting mindsets$ raising awareness and em%owering women to take charge of their heart health care. !his movement and other organi/ations including WomenHeart +link to htt%,--www.womenheart.org".$ %artners in #$e Heart #rut$% and its 0ed 1ress *am%aign22 +link to htt%,--www.nhlbi.nih.gov-educational-hearttruth-$ are full of %owerful stories about women being blindsided b heart attacks or other traumatic effects of cardiovascular disease. +3ink to terms blog. !ogether$ the 've made the red dress more than a fashion statement. !heir united efforts s%eak loud and clear, It's essential that women get the information and treatment the need. &oo'in( at )our Numbers !he first ste% to reducing our risk for heart disease is getting to know those risks. 0esearch shows that onl 4 in 5 women are aware that cardio vascular disease should be a real concern. !here are man factors including lifest le and heredit that weigh into determining our individual risk for heart disease$ and research shows that 607 of women age "0-80 have one or more risk factors. +link to risk blog.

( good %lace to find out where ou stand is to look at some im%ortant clinical numbers, )our #otal *$olesterol )our &D& +,Bad, *$olesterol)our HD& +,Good, *$olesterol)our #ri(ly.erides )our Blood Pressure )our /astin( Glu.ose )our Body Mass Inde0 +BMI)our Waist *ir.um!eren.e should be under 200 mg-d3 should be under 400 mg-d3 should be at least 90 mg-d3 should be under 490 mg-d3 should be under 420-60 mm)g should be under 400 mg-d3 should be under 29 should be under 29 inches

(n eas wa to find out most of these numbers is through a test such as :ersona3abs"; low-cost )ealth )eart :rofile +link. (nd here's one more number that women should be aware of, 99. #ecause of meno%ause$ that's the age that %uts ou at an increased risk for heart disease. /o.usin( on Pre1ention !he bottom line& Whether in men or women$ heart disease is %reventable. <ight %ercent of cardiac events in women can be %revented b healthier living in terms of diet$ e=ercise and not smoking. +link to associated disease blog. (gain$ our first ste% is getting the information about our individual risks and the behaviors and

conditions that increase that risk. 'ou can then learn what >uestions to ask our healthcare %rovider$ and get the su%%ort ou need to move in a %ositive$ heart-smart direction. +3ink to choosing :*: blog&. #$ro2in( a 34otli($t on Dis4arity !wo-thirds of women who have a heart attack never full recover. )eart disease is also a to% reason man (merican women become disabled. (nd more than 200$000 women die each ear from heart attacks--that's five times the number of women who die of breast cancer. #ut the reasons wh women are hit so hard b this disease are com%licated b this hard fact, there are real differences in the wa women and men are treated where heart disease is concerned. +link to htt%,--www.womenheart.org-su%%ort?orWomen-heartsmart404-ha esfeature.cfm #ecause signs for women can be different than men$ heart disease in women is often mistaken for a %anic attack$ stress or indigestion. +link to s m%toms blog. 0ecent studies have confirmed that emergenc medical %rofessionals often overlook s m%toms of distress and dela a%%ro%riate treatment. Women themselves are much more likel than men to dela getting medical care after a heart attack. In addition$ studies show that women with heart disease don't receive the same >ualit of hos%ital care as men do. (nd onl 257 the %artici%ants in heart-related medical research studies are women. 34readin( t$e Word

Whether it's about taking an action to ensure that women get effective diagnosis and treatment for heart disease$ or making sure our friends$ famil and neighbors are aware of their risks b taking a sim%le test +link to heart health tests.$ @oin other women who are s%reading the word. Aot a red dress in our closet& Ba be its time to send a message b wearing it.

Cisit these websites for more information and resources, www.Ao0ed?orWomen.org www.Women)eart.org www.%cna.net-women www.womenshealth.gov www.nhlbi.nih.gov