Steps Women Can Take to Help Prevent Heart Disease at Any Age.

Many women don’t seem to be as concerned about their hearts as they are everyone else’s health. However, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women each year, and nearly 45 percent of women over age 20 are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. February is American Heart Month, making it the perfect time to talk about the prevalence of heart disease in women and how women of all ages can take steps to lower their risk for heart disease at any stage in life. 

Make lifestyle changes to protect your heart health.

It’s never too early or too late to make lifestyle changes that could potentially help you prevent heart disease. Knowledge is power and understanding the seriousness of heart disease can help you be motivated to make small changes that could have a lasting impact on your heart health. The following prevention tips can help you lower your risk of heart disease:

• Exercise regularly: Women who perform moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week benefit from a 25 percent decrease in risk of cardiac events than those who do not. Brisk walking, aerobic exercise, or muscle strengthening exercise, can also help women achieve and maintain a healthy weight and lower abdominal fat, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Eat a heart-healthy diet: Eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts while minimizing red meats and dairy products can lower your risk of heart disease by nearly 25 percent. In addition, experts recommend eating a moderate amount of lean meats and avoiding processed foods, which offer few nutritional benefits.

• Get enough sleep: Being well-rested can make a difference in your blood pressure, lipid profile, and stress levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults who sleep fewer than seven hours nightly are more likely to have health problems, including high blood pressure, obesity, and type 2 diabetes—all of which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

• Quit smoking: Female smokers are twice as likely to have heart attacks as non-smokers. That’s because smoking causes blood vessels to stiffen and increases blood pressure. Smoking can also decrease good cholesterol, which can lead to increased plague build up. Even if you’ve been smoking for years, you can reduce your heart disease risk by nearly 50 percent in one year by quitting.

Know your risk factors.

While many risks are similar in both men and women, risk factors for heart disease in women can have more harmful effects. Shared risk factors for heart disease across genders include:

• Hypertension

• High cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Family history of heart disease

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Obesity

• Aging

However, many of these traditional risk factors disproportionately affect women, leading to sooner complications and increased cardiac events in women compared to men. That’s why it’s especially important for women with chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, to manage their conditions under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Women also have additional risk factors, as hormone fluctuations throughout their lifespan affect heart disease risk and can be a window into your future heart health. For example, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes during pregnancy can signal risk factors later in life. And changes in estrogen levels can trigger a host of risk factors that can increase a woman’s risk of heart disease. Estrogen helps keep blood vessels flexible and healthy, but as estrogen levels decrease around menopause, we see more stiffening of blood vessels which can elevate blood pressure and affect good and bad cholesterol levels.

To better understand your unique gender-related risk factors for heart disease, talk to a heart expert about:

• Your age at your first menstrual cycle

• Conditions during child-bearing years, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis

• Any complications during pregnancy, such as failing a pregnancy stress test or developing gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or high blood pressure

• Your age at menopause
  

Understand the early signs of heart disease in women.

Heart disease symptoms often present differently in women than men. While men may be more likely to have the crushing chest pain we often see portrayed in the movies, women often describe a squeezing or tightening sensation. Other symptoms of heart disease in women may include:

• Indigestion

• Reflux

• Upper back pain

• Dizziness

• Nausea and vomiting

• Shortness of breath

• Sleep disturbances 

Because the symptoms are different, women may not recognize symptoms as quickly or attribute them to something life-threatening, which can lead to delayed care. As a result, women have an increased risk of experiencing a “silent heart attack” during which blockages prevent the heart from getting enough blood flow or oxygen, causing damage and severe complications without noticeable warning signs.

Watch our Facebook Live broadcast below to learn more about heart disease in women:

Advocate for yourself.

Knowledge is power, and recognizing what is normal for you can help you to more quickly spot signs of concern. It’s helpful to know your numbers, including your total cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, HDL or “good” cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as your family history and any other personal risk factors. Don’t be hesitant to ask questions at the doctor or seek a second opinion, when necessary. It can also be helpful to bring a support person to your appointments so they can help you to get all the information you’re looking for. You have the right to be informed and involved in decisions about your care.

At MedStar Health, our heart experts specialize in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of all types of heart disease, with specialists focused on managing heart disease in women. Talk to a MedStar Health cardiologist today to understand your unique risk factors and tailored prevention strategies that can help manage your heart health and potentially prevent heart disease altogether.