Too few women are aware of how susceptible they are to cardiovascular disease and how to help prevent it.
By Chirag H. Shah, D.O. Princeton HealthCare System
For the past several years, men and women across the country have been kicking off American Heart Month by wearing red on the first day of February.
This National Wear Red Day is part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, designed to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in women.
Long perceived as a man’s disease, cardiovascular disease is the leading killer among women. An estimated 500,000 women die from cardiovascular disease each year. In fact, more women die from cardiovascular disease than the next four leading causes of death combined, including breast cancer and stroke.
Yet too few women are aware of how susceptible they are to cardiovascular disease and how to help prevent it. But staying heart-healthy is not as hard as it may sound and the benefits could be life saving.
Cardiovascular disease is a broad term used to define a range of diseases that affect your heart and blood vessels. These include coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
Risk factors include smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and diabetes.
Symptoms of heart disease often present differently in women than men. While some of the more obvious symptoms include pain or discomfort in the center of the chest, especially after exertion; shortness of breath and shooting pain in the arm, other symptoms are more vague, such as indigestion and fatigue, anxiety and trouble sleeping.
Women at risk should visit a physician to determine if they suffer from cardiovascular disease. A physician will assess the patient’s risk factors and medical history and may perform a stress test to observe how the heart responds to increased activity. In some cases, physicians may perform an angiogram, which enables them to see definitive evidence of heart disease by inserting dye into the arteries.
Treatment for heart disease varies depending on the severity. Lifestyle changes may help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Physicians also may prescribe medication to control these conditions. Other instances may call for more significant interventions, such as inserting a balloon or stent to open narrow arteries. And still some patients may require bypass surgery to detour blood around a clogged artery to the heart.
Of course, the best action is prevention. The following tips will help women stay heart healthy:
• Stop Smoking. Women who currently smoke should quit. Additionally, women should avoid “environmental” smoke. New Jersey’s smoking ban prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants and most other indoor places, making it easier to stay away from second-hand smoke.
• Maintain a Proper Diet. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will help keep the heart healthy. Foods high in fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids are recommended as part of a balanced diet and have been shown to help lower cholesterol. A healthy cholesterol level for women is less than 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood. LDL — or bad cholesterol — levels should ideally be less than 100.
In making food choices, choose items that are baked, rather than fried, and reduce the amount of sodium in the diet. Limit intake of saturated fats and steer clear of trans-fats.
Limit alcohol to no more than one drink a day. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure and lead to stroke. However, according to the American Heart Association, the risk of heart disease in people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of one drink for women and two drinks for men per day) is lower than nondrinkers. Yet it is not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol.
• Exercise. Women should exercise for at least 30 consecutive minutes every day. Exercise helps lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep weight at a healthy level. Exercise should be aerobic in nature and strenuous enough to raise the heart rate for the duration of the workout.
• Maintain a Healthy Body Weight. Exercising and eating healthy will help women maintain a healthy body weight. A woman’s body mass index is a good indicator of whether she is at a healthy weight. A healthy BMI ranges between 19 and 25.
In celebration of American Heart Month, Princeton HealthCare System through its Community Education & Outreach Program will host a discussion on “What Women Need to Know to Stay Heart-Healthy.” The session will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, at the University of Medical Center at Princeton Breast Health Center, 300B Princeton-Hightstown Road, East Windsor Medical Commons 2, East Windsor.
To register for the free session or for more information visit www.princetonhcs.org/ calendar or call (888) 897-8979.
To find a cardiologist or another physician on staff with Princeton HealthCare System, call (888) 742-7496 or visit www.princetonhcs.org.
Chirag H. Shah, D.O., is a cardiologist with Princeton HealthCare System.
For more information:
The Women’s Heart Foundation maintains a very informative Web site, featuring numerous links — all free.
On the Web: www.womensheart.org.