The Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease
February is American Heart Month
OWATONNA, Minn. 01/29/2008-- Statement by Dorothy Erdmann, president, Owatonna Hospital, on the importance of heart disease risk in women.
The truth isn’t pretty. More women die of heart disease than any other disease. We’re good at caring for our bodies—the parts we can see. But what about the parts we can’t?
Only 55 percent of women know that heart disease is their leading cause of death and most fail to make the connection between its risk factors—such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol—and their personal risk of developing heart disease. Yet a surprising 80 percent of women ages 40 to 60 have one or more risk factors for heart disease.
In 2002, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) created the award-winning Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness as part of The Heart Truth campaign. This nationwide campaign is about raising awareness in women to protect their heart.
Since then, progress has been made in the fight against heart disease in women. As the campaign celebrates its fifth year, women across the country are aware that heart disease is their #1 killer; they’re wearing the Red Dress Pin; they’re taking charge of their health; and they’re living longer, healthier lives, and fewer are dying of heart disease--a decrease of nearly 17,000 deaths. Even with this great news, it’s important to recognize that many challenges still remain.
One: Know your heart disease risk factors
Risk factors are habits or conditions that increase the chance of developing a disease. Some risk factors, such as age (55 or older for women) and family history of early heart disease, can't be changed. The modifiable risk factors for heart disease include the following:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High blood cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Being physically inactive
Two: Understand the "Multiplier Effect"
Many women don't realize that their risk for heart disease significantly increases based on the number of risk factors they have. In fact, having just one risk factor can increase a woman's chance of developing heart disease
- 33 percent of midlife women have one modifiable risk factor for heart disease
- 31 percent of midlife women have two modifiable risk factors for heart disease
- 17 percent of midlife women have three or more modifiable risk factors for heart disease
African American and Hispanic Women have higher rates of some risk factors and are disproportionately affected by heart disease.
Three: Manage you risk factors
Even though heart disease is not curable, it’s never too late to take action to prevent it. Often, modifying risk factors is all that's needed to significantly reduce one's risk. Americans can lower their risk by as much as 82 percent just by leading a healthy lifestyle.
Four: Learn some tips for heart health
- Don't smoke, and if you do, quit. Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmoking women. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and cancer.
- Aim for a healthy weight. It's important for a long, energetic life. Overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths.
- Get moving. Make a commitment to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of daily moderate-intensity activity.
- Eat for heart health. Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.
- Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.
While heart disease risk begins to rise in middle age, heart disease develops over time and can start at a young age—even in the teen years. It’s critical to care about heart disease. Talk to your doctor to get answers that may save your life or someone you love.
To learn more about this national campaign of building awareness of women's heart disease and empowering women to reduce and prevent their risk visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website.
Owatonna Hospital, along with Allina Hospitals & Clinics, is committed to improving cardiac survival rates in our communities by implementing a combination of emergency care and community benefit programs around heart healthy living. Heart Safe Communities involves widespread placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the community (32 AEDs placed to date), distributing CPR Anytime kits and training the lay public in basic CPR and AEDs.
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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