Women Heart Disease - Women And Cholesterol

Women Heart Disease OR Heart Disease In Women

How To understand symptoms and risk factors

All women face the threat of heart disease as men. However, becoming aware of symptoms and risks unique to women, as well as eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising, can help protect them from heart disease.

Although heart disease is often taken for granted as a men' problem, unfortunately, more women than men die of heart disease every year. One distinction is that the heart disease symptoms in women can be different from symptoms in men. However, women can take steps to understand their unique symptoms of heart disease and take precaution to reduce their risk of heart disease.

Women heart Disease....

Heart attack symptoms for women

The most common heart attack symptom in women is some type of pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest. But it's not always severe or even the most notable symptom, particularly in women. Women are more likely to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as:

1. Neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort

2. Shortness of breath

3. Nausea or vomiting

4. Sweating

5. Dizziness

6. Unusual fatigue

These symptoms are more indirect than the obvious crushing chest pain often associated with heart attacks. This may be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries. But also in the smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart. This condition is called small vessel heart disease or microvascular disease.

Women Heart Disease in Video

Many women usually show up in emergency rooms after much heart damage has already happened. This is because their symptoms are not those typically associated with a heart attack. If you experience these symptoms or think you're having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately. Don't attempt to drive yourself to the emergency room unless you have no other options.

Heart disease risk factors for women

Although the usual risk factors for coronary artery disease are:

1. High cholesterol

2. High blood pressure

3. Obesity

Other factors may play a bigger part in the development of heart disease in women. For example:

Metabolic syndrome. This is a combination of fat around your abdomen, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high triglycerides. These have a greater impact on women than on men.

Mental stress and depression affect women's hearts more than men's. Depression makes it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow recommended treatment. Talk to your doctor if you're having symptoms of depression.

Smoking is a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than in men.

Low levels of estrogen after menopause pose a significant risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease in the smaller blood vessels (small vessel heart disease).

Women Heart Disease And Cholesterol In Video

What about older women?

Women under the age of 65 who have a family history of heart disease should pay close attention to the heart disease risk factors. Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously.

What can women do to reduce their risk of heart disease?

There are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease:

1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day on most days of the week.

2. Maintain a healthy weight.

3. Quit or don't start smoking.

4. Eat a diet that's low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.

Some women at high risk of heart disease may also benefit from the use of supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

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