Heart Disease: The Leading Cause of Death Among American Women

There are many different types of heart disease. They include, but are not limited to:

• Coronary Artery Disease;

• Arrhythmias;

• Atrial Fibrillation;

• Heart Valve Disease;

• Heart Failure;

• Heart Muscle Disease;

• Pericarditis;

• Heart Attack; and

• Stroke.

Collectively, this family of conditions commonly known as heart disease is the number one cause of death among women in America. This is not a particularly well known fact, which is of particular concern as heart disease is projected to become the leading cause of death globally in 2020.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for heart disease are either innate or manageable conditions. Innate risk factors include advanced age, genetics, menopause, and previous heart disease. Manageable risk factors, (those which should be eliminated), include smoking, drinking, stress, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sedentariness, obesity, and diabetes, among others.

Gender Specific Risk Factors

Many researchers believe that certain gender specific traits are in fact risk factors for heart disease, particularly high triglyceride levels, which, in conjunction with other factors, may have a more deleterious role in the development of heart disease in women than in men. There are also certain types of complications that may arise during pregnancy, such as the development of hypertension (preeclampsia) or diabetes (gestational diabetes). Also, women who give birth to children with low birthrates are at increased risk of developing heart disease.

Prevention

There are many ways to reduce risk factors for heart disease:

• De-stress. Stress can place debilitating strain on the heart. And working mothers are at increased risk due to the dual stressors of work and family life.

• Go for regular check-ups. Too many women and men visit the doctor when there is a tangible problem. Risk factors such as high cholesterol are impossible to detect unaided. Make sure that you schedule regular exams and insist upon strenuous screening for heart disease.

• Limit your saturated fat intake. Saturated fats contain triglycerides and high levels of triglycerides can be a risk factor for heart disease in women, in conjunction with other factors. There are also vitamins and medications that can help reduce triglyceride levels. Take them after speaking with a physician.

• Exercise regularly. Jogging, swimming, or cycling for an hour a few times a week can greatly reduce your chances of developing heart disease.

• If you smoke, quit. Also, if reduce your alcohol consumption, especially if you are prone to binge drinking.

• Do your own research. Do not be afraid to come to the doctor's office with questions culled from information you found online or elsewhere. Given the seriousness of heart disease, you cannot afford to take everything your physician says at face value. Websites like WebMD and The American Heart Association can be invaluable tools as for you to begin to educate yourself about your health.

Sources

Symptoms of Heart Disease, WebMD

Women, Heart Disease and Stroke, American Heart Association

Stealth Health, The Leading Cause of Death for Women, Reader's Digest

Cardiovascular disease to become leading cause of death worldwide by 2020, Pharmaceutical Business Review

Melanie Thomassian, Heart Disease: The Number One Killer in Women, MyHeartCentral.com

DrRich, Women and the Risk Factors of Heart Disease, About.com