Heart disease is the main cause of death for women, causing four out of every ten deaths. If you are a woman you are eight times more likely to die from heart disease and stroke than from breast cancer. More women pass away from heart disease than from all types of cancer combined. Roughly as many women die from heart disease and stroke each year as men.
?Women may be more likely to experience uncharacteristic warning signs such as indistinct chest discomfort
?Some risk factors such as hormones and diabetes can considerably add to the risk of heart attack amongst women.
?Some diagnostic tests and treatments for heart attack may not work as well on women.
?In the past, heart disease among women was not treated as aggressively as men and fewer women were referred for treatments such as bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty following a heart attack.
Recognize the warning signs and take action fast!
Learn the indication of heart disease. Learn the signs of heart attack. They are different.
Early warning signs of heart disease in women include:
?Pain or discomfort in the chest that comes on with physical activity and goes away with rest
?Shortness of breath, breathlessness, or unusual tiredness with physical activity
?Physical activities that used to be easy or normal have become difficult
If you experience any of these feelings, seek medical advice.
Warning signs of heart attack in women
?Vague chest tightness, discomfort, pain or a crushing radiating chest pain
?Heaviness, pressure, squeezing, fullness, burning or pain that may begin in the center of the chest and spread to the neck, jaws, and shoulder
?Unusual pain that spreads down one or both arms
?Shortness of breath, paleness, sweating or weakness
?Nausea, vomiting and/or indigestion
?Feelings of extreme anxiety, fear and/or denial
If you experience any of these feelings, tell someone right away or call for emergency help.
Heart Disease For Women
Tip 1 ? Stop Smoking
Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of CHD in women. More than half of heart attacks in middle-aged women can be attributed to smoking. For smokers who are determined to quit, they can be referred to smoking cessation clinics by their doctor.
Tip 2 ? Reduce High Cholesterol
Dietary change and exercise are good ways to reduce blood cholesterol. Regular exercise helps to raise the level of good cholesterol and improve the overall cholesterol profile. However, if the cholesterol level does not respond positively to such lifestyle changes, one should seek help from the doctor for prescribing cholesterol-lowering medication.
Tip 3 ? Control High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be controlled by adopting a low-salt diet, engaging in regular exercise, weight reduction and appropriate medications.
Tip 4 ? Manage Diabetes Mellitus
A high level of sugar in the blood accelerates the thickening and narrowing of blood vessels in the heart. Diabetes can be managed through weight reduction, exercise and medication.
Tip 5 ? Engage in Regular Exercise
Lack of exercise makes the heart and body unfit, increasing the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high levels of cholesterol. Exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming are good for the heart. When engaging in an exercise program, a cautious start with a gradual increase in intensity is important. A regular schedule should be set and adhered to. Start with short bouts of exercise such as 15 ? 20 minutes on alternative days and gradually increase the intensity of exercise until you reach the goal of 30 minutes daily. Most importantly, obtain a general cardiovascular assessment from a doctor before commencing any exercise regime.
Tip 6 ? Maintain a Healthy Weight
The heart of overweight person needs to pump harder and consumes more oxygen. Overweight also increases the risk of hypertension and diabetes. Obesity can be measured using the waist-hip ratio (waist circumference divided by hip circumference) or body mass index (BMI ? body weight in kilograms divided by square of height in meters). For women, a waist-hip ratio of greater than 0.9 is considered as high risk for heart disease. Likewise, a person with BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight. For one whose BMI is above 30 is considered obese. Regular exercise and a reduced calories diet can help to achieve or maintain one's ideal weight.
Tip 7 ? Manage Stress
When a person is under mental stress, the heart pumps faster and the blood vessels constricted. To guard against under stress on the heart, one should try to arrange a sensible work schedule with adequate periods of rest and relaxation in between. Stress management techniques such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and regular exercise can also help reduce stress.
Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com/dr-robert.html
Both James Hunt & Ng Peng Hock are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Hunt has sinced written about articles on various topics from History, Virtual Private Network and Mobile Phone Reviews. James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.Read more at
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