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Women
& Heart Disease
According
to information from the American Heart Association, heart
disease and stroke claim more women's lives each year than
the next seven causes of death combined, and nearly twice
as many as all forms of cancer, including breast cancer. Misperceptions
still exist that cardiovascular disease is not a real problem
for women. The lack of urgency about such a serious health
threat contributes to the deaths of more than 500,000 Amercian
women each year.
There
are 3 basic messages supported by the American Heart Association:
Know
your risk factors for heart disease and stroke
-obesity -high cholesterol -diabetes -physical inactivity
-smoking -high blood pressure
Reduce
your risk
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Maintain
a desirable weight: keep body mass index (BMI) below 25;
waistline under 35 inches. |
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Exercise
for 30 minutes on most days of the week. |
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Eat
a balanced diet (fruits, vegetables, cereal and grain
products, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, legumes,
nuts, fish, poultry, and lean meat). |
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Maintain
a total cholesterol level under 200 and an HDL level or
50 or higher. |
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Control
your blood pressure. Try to keep it below 120/80. |
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Schedule
regular visits with your doctor. |
Know
the warning signs of a heart attack. Call 9-1-1 immediately
if any occur.
Talk to your doctor about heart disease
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Ask
your doctor to do a thorough assessment of your heart,
including determining your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL,
triglyceride and glucose levels. Get a copy of these results
and discuss them with your doctor along with your weight
and blood pressure to determine the best plan of action.
Diet and exercise can help reduce your blood pressure
and your risk for heart attack. |
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Talk
to your primary care physician/ob-gyn about your risk
factors for heart disease each year. If you have risk
factors, ask if you should have an ECG or exercise stress
test. |
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Tell
your doctor about any personal or family history of heart
disease. |
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Make
sure you understand any medications or special instructions
your doctor has given you, including when you need to
have follow-up tests. |
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Know the symptoms of a heart attack
| Classic
symptoms* |
Other
symptoms Women May Have:** |
| Chest
discomfort |
Indigestion
or gas-like pain or pressure |
| Pain
spreading to shoulders,neck or arm |
Dizziness |
| Nausea |
Unexplained
weakness, fatigue |
| Shortness
of breath |
Discomfort/pain
between should blades |
| Sweating |
Sense
of impending doom |
*Any of these
symptoms can occur in men or women
**If these symptoms last more than 15 minutes, seek help
Be assertive
about your health
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Make
sure your concerns are heard |
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If you
have symptoms, even if they are vague and you think they may
not be serious; make an appointment to see your primary care
physician |
If you are experiencing
symptoms that could signal a heart attack
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Call
9-1-1 and get to the emergency room quickly to minimize possible
damage to your heart. |
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Consider
taking aspirin (chew or place under your tongue) at the first
sign of heart attack symptoms, unless allergic to it. |
Or, if you’ve
had a heart attack
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Ask
your doctor about the role of daily aspirin, beta-blockers,
statins, and ACE inhibitors in preventing second heart attacks. |
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Ask your
doctor to refer you to a cardiac rehabilitation program. |
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If you
smoke, you need to stop. Ask your doctor about nicotine-withdrawal
medications and find a smoking cessation support group. |
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Know your
risk factors for heart disease (high cholesterol, high blood
pressure, diabetes, and excess weight) and get them under control. |
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