Heart Problems in Women

Cardiovascular disease includes diseases of the heart and blood. It is a general term for a group of problems that affect your blood vessels such as those that move your blood  through your heart and brain. This can lead to coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart muscles. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is caused by the thickening of the inner walls of the coronary arteries. This thickening is called atherosclerosis, a condition that results from the gradual build-up of fatty substances, including cholestrol, on the walls of the arteries.
 
Heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) is when part of the heart muscles is damaged or dies because it is not getting enough blood from the coronary arteries. Heart attacks are usually caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries and is likely to be caused by a blood clot that forms from plaque inside  the artery that has ruptured. Stroke  causes blockage in the artery that carries blood to the brain. When blood flow to a part of your brain is cut off, that part of the brain become damaged.

Women and cardiovascular diseases:  

Cardiovascular diseases ranks first among all disease categories in hospital discharges for women. It includes coronary heart disease(CHD), stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. The good news is that you can reduce many of your risk factors for heart disease and stroke with a few lifestyle changes. Researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a  person’s chance of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible, through lifestyle changes and/or medicine you can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

 
Important facts about women’s risk:

Risk of heart disease and stroke increase with age in women.  At the age of 40 and older, 23 percent of women compared with 18 percent of men die within one year after a heart attack. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long term disability, and  many stroke survivors are permanently disabled. More women than men die of stroke. Low levels of  “good” cholestrol (high density lipoprotein or HDL) appear to be stronger predictors of heart related deaths in women than men. Triglycerides (another type of fat) are fats that circulate in the bloodstream. High levels often appear with other well known risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood cholestrol and diabetes. High level of triglycerides are associated with a greater risk of heart disease in women.In people who have diabetes, the blood sugar level is often much higher than it should be. Too much sugar in the blood can cause damage to many parts of the body, including blood vessels.
 
A women’s risk of heart disease intensifies drastically around the time of menopause which for most women is around 50 years. High levels of the female hormone estrogen in the blood, is thought to protect the heart. After menopause, the levels of estrogen in a woman’s body drop significantly and can contribute to high risk of CVD. Weight gain is also a factor  that may play a role in post-menopausal risk of heart disease. Maintaining a healthy weight often becomes difficult after the body experiences a change in hormone level. Extra mass can take a toll on the body, causing physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood cholestrol, all risk factors that can lead to heart attack and stroke. One third of women are unaware that cardiovascular diseases has been one of the leading cause of death in females. Many women continue to believe that  unproven therapies will reduce their risk of heart diseases. Many are still completely unaware of what the symptoms are and what to do if they develop those symptoms.  

Prevention of health problems from cardiovascular disease:

Its is important to know your risk factors and your family history. If you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you are more likely to have health problems from cardiovascular disease.
 
The following lifestyle changes are a key to prevent cardiovascular diseases:

• Eat right. Follow a healthy diet which is low in salt(avoid prepared food that are high in salt) and saturated fat. Keep fat calories to under 30% of the total calories.
• Exercise regularly and talk to your doctor about the right kind of exercise for you. Regular exercise will help to strenghten your cardiovascular system and keep your weight under control. It can also lower your blood pressure level and reduce your level of LDL Cholestrol (bad cholestrol that clogs your arteries).
• Stop smoking. If you have diabetes and also smoke, you double your risk of heart disease.