February is American Heart Month and with that comes knowing more about your heart health. Women and heart disease have a long-standing history. Heart disease is the most dangerous illness that women can face. That being said, knowing the basics of the disease can help women become familiar with how to prevent it.
The Basics of Women and Heart Disease
The following questions provide a basic understanding of what everyone should know about women and heart disease. At Green Valley OB/GYN, we are dedicated to providing information for all aspects of a woman’s health and wellbeing.
How are women affected by heart disease?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details the relationship between women and heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. It is about 1 in every 5 female deaths. While it can also affect men, the case counts are drastically higher for women.
Due to this, women must be more cognizant of the information behind heart disease.
What are the symptoms of heart disease?
The symptoms of heart disease can present themselves in a variety of ways. One important thing to realize is, unlike men, women are more likely to experience symptoms not related to chest pain. This can often lead to women mistaking their symptoms to not being heart disease-related. Some women do not experience symptoms at all.
Here, the Mayo Clinic provides a list of the common symptoms that women experience:
- Discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back, or upper belly
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in one or both arms
- Naseua or vomiting
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Unusual fatigue
- Heartburn
If you begin to find yourself experiencing these symptoms, it could be time to get in contact with a healthcare professional. Any symptoms should not be ignored as it could be a sign of something more going on.
What risk factors can lead to issues with heart disease?
While heart disease is dangerous enough as it is, there are more risk factors that can come along with it. Heart disease is not necessarily only something for women past the age of 65 to worry about. It can present itself in women younger than that.
These risk factors are presented as follows:
- Diabetes
- Emotional stress and depression
- Smoking
- Inactivity
- Menopause
- Pregnancy complications
- Family history of heart disease
- Inflammatory diseases
All-around health is essential to avoid other issues. Pay attention to these issues to ensure that you do not have to also worry about new concerns that could come up.
How do you treat heart disease?
The treatment of heart disease is important to understand. While other aspects between men and women can look different, the treatment of heart disease is often the same. This can look like medications, angioplasty, stenting, or coronary bypass surgery.
How do I prevent and reduce my risk of heart disease?
It is important to keep tactics in mind for maintaining a healthy heart. Not only will these reduce your risk of heart disease, but also provide you with a healthy day-to-day.
Here are the most important factors to consider in reducing your risk of heart disease:
- Understand and keep track of your blood pressure.
- Talk to your doctor about the possible testing of diabetes.
- Quit smoking.
- Learn more about maintaining healthy cholestoral levels.
- Make healthy food choices.
- Limit how much alcohol you are consuming in one day.
- Find ways to manage stress levels.
These methods could create a massive change for your health if it is maintained. New habits can be the preventative measures you’ve been looking for.
Women and heart disease are important relationships to understand. American Heart Month is the perfect time to answer key questions about it. Are you looking for new methods to keep your heart and body healthy on a day-to-day basis? Contact us through our website or give us a call with any questions at (336) 378-1110.