Heart Disease and Women

The Heart Truth – Lower Heart Disease Risk

What is Heart Disease?

When you hear the term “heart disease,” you may think, “That’s a man’s disease” or “Not my problem.” But here is The Heart Truth^®: one in four women in the United States dies of heart disease, while one in 30 dies of breast cancer. If you’ve got a heart, heart disease could be your problem.

What Are the Risk Factors for Heart Disease?

An astonishing 80 percent of women ages 40 to 60 have one or more risk factor for heart disease. Having one or more risk factors dramatically increases a woman’s chance of developing heart disease because risk factors tend to worsen each other’s effects. In fact, according to research compiled by the NHLBI, having just one risk factor doubles your chance of developing heart disease.

Whatever a woman’s age, she needs to take action to protect her heart health. Heart disease can begin early, even in the teen years, and women in their 20s and 30s need to take action to reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Yet among U.S. women ages 18 and older, 17.3 percent are current smokers, 51.6 are overweight (BMI 25 or greater), 27 percent have hypertension, 35 percent have high cholesterol, and 53 percent do not meet physical activity recommendations. African American and Hispanic women, in particular, have higher rates of some risk factors for heart disease and are disproportionately affected by the disease compared to white women. More than 80 percent of midlife African American women are overweight or obese, 52 percent have hypertension, and 14 percent have been diagnosed with diabetes. Some 83 percent of midlife Hispanic women are overweight or obese, and more than 10 percent have been diagnosed with diabetes.

How Do I Find Out if I Am at Risk for Heart Disease?

Some women believe that doing just one healthy thing will take care of all their heart disease risk. For example, they may think that if they walk or swim regularly, they can still smoke and stay fairly healthy. Wrong! To protect your heart, it is vital to make changes that address each risk factor you have.

A damaged heart can damage your life by interfering with enjoyable activities and even your ability to do simple things, such as taking a walk or climbing steps. Heart disease cannot be “cured.” It is a lifelong condition—once you get it, you’ll always have it.

Fortunately, it’s a problem you can do something about. Find out your risk for heart disease and take steps to prevent and control it. Talk to your physician to get more answers. Start taking action today to protect your heart. By doing just 4 things—eating right, being physically active, not smoking, and keeping a healthy weight—you can reduce your risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent. Visit The Heart Truth's tools and resources.

NIH

February is American Heart Month!

February is American Heart Month.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Learn about heart disease prevention. Heart Disease is the Number One Cause of Death. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack. In 2009, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.

The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk. Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack are crucial to the most positive outcomes after having a heart attack. People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future. For more information on heart disease and stroke, visit CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.

Diseases and Conditions That Put Your Heart at Risk

Other conditions that affect your heart or increase your risk of death or disability include arrhythmia, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, and secondhand smoke are also risk factors associated with heart disease. For a full list of diseases and conditions along with risk factors and other health information associated with heart disease, visit the American Heart Association.

Know Your Signs and Symptoms

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense; however, most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

The American Heart Association, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Red Cross, and the National Council on Aging have launched a new "Act in Time" campaign to increase people's awareness of heart attack and the importance of calling 9-1-1 immediately at the onset of heart attack symptoms.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects
A new report by The Institute of Medicine finds even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger a heart attack. Tobacco smoke can cause health problems not only for smokers, but also for people around them. Breathing secondhand smoke increases a person's risk for a heart attack and other heart conditions.

Healthy Lifestyle: Diet and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness
A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease. Many people make it harder than it is. It is important to remember that it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts. As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:

Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.

Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.

Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.

Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.

Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.

Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. All persons who have hypertension, all middle-aged and older adults, and all blacks should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day if you're a woman and two drinks per day if you're a man.

Keep an eye on your portion sizes.

Physical activity in your daily life is an important step to preventing heart disease. You can take a few simple steps at home, at work, and at play to increase the amount of physical activity in your life.

Women and Heart Disease: Quick Facts
Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a "man's disease," it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, and women account for nearly 50% of heart disease deaths.

In 2006, heart disease was the cause of death in nearly 316,000 females.

Heart disease is often perceived as an "older woman's disease," and it is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older. However, heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women aged 25-44 years and the second leading cause of death among women aged 45-64 years. Remember that many cases of heart disease can be prevented!

CDC's WISEWOMAN Program
The mission of CDC's WISEWOMAN program is to provide low-income, under- or uninsured 40- to 64-year-old women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to improve diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle behaviors to prevent or delay cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.

WISEWOMAN provides these additional services:

Screening for chronic disease risk factors.

Dietary, physical activity, and smoking cessation interventions.

Referral and follow-up as appropriate.

Women and Heart Disease Campaigns
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion, and power women have to band together and wipe out heart disease. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

The Heart Truth Campaign is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease. The campaign created and introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 to deliver an urgent wakeup call to American women. The Red Dress alerts women of The Heart Truth message: "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear–It is the #1 Killer of Women."

National Wear Red Day is a day when Americans nationwide will wear red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in this life-saving awareness movement by showing off a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie, or Red Dress Pin.

Participate in National Wear Red Day—Everyone (men too) can support the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red on February 5, 2010.

Men and Heart Disease: Quick Facts

In 2006, heart disease was the cause of death in 315,706 American men.

The average age for a first heart attack for men is 66 years.

Almost half of men who have a heart attack under age 65 die within 8 years.

Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men.

CDC

Tumors of the Heart

The most common tumors that begin in the heart are benign. In children, these include rhabdomyomas (tumors of muscle tissue) and fibromas (tumors of fibrous tissue). Myxomas are rare, benign tumors which may be part of an inherited syndrome called Carney complex (see Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes (MEN) and Carney Complex section below for more information). Other benign tumors include histiocytoid cardiomyopathy tumors, teratomas, hemangiomas, and neurofibromas. Malignant tumors that begin in the heart are rare, but may include malignant teratomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, and chondrosarcomas.

Patients may have no symptoms for long periods of time. Symptoms include abnormal heart rhythm, enlargement of the heart, fluid in the sac around the heart, and congestive heart failure. Sudden death with no early symptoms is possible. Successful treatment may require surgery (which may include transplantation) and chemotherapy. Benign tumors of heart muscle (rhabdomyomas) usually shrink and go away on their own.

National Cancer Institute

Coronary Angiogram

Coronary angiogram Monitors blockage and flow of blood through the heart. Uses X-rays to detect dye injected via cardiac catheterization.
cdc

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization Checks the inside of your arteries for blockage by threading a thin, flexible tube through an artery in the groin, arm, or neck to reach the coronary artery. Can measure blood pressure and flow in the heart’s chambers, collect blood samples from the heart, or inject dye into the coronary arteries.
cdc

Exercise Stress Test

Exercise stress test measures your heart rate while you walk on a treadmill. This helps to determine how well your heart is working when it has to pump more blood.

CDC

Echocardiogram

Echocardiogram Uses ultrasound to create a picture of the heart.

CDC

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization Checks the inside of your arteries for blockage by threading a thin, flexible tube through an artery in the groin, arm, or neck to reach the coronary artery. Can measure blood pressure and flow in the heart's chambers, collect blood samples from the heart, or inject dye into the coronary arteries.

CDC

ECD or EKG (electrocardiogram)

ECD or EKG (electrocardiogram)

Measures the electrical activity, rate, and regularity of your heartbeat.

Echocardiogram Uses ultrasound to create a picture of the heart.

Exercise stress test measures your heart rate while you walk on a treadmill. This helps to determine how well your heart is working when it has to pump more blood.

CDC

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary artery disease occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time. This process is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can't pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop.

For some people, the first sign of CAD is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart. It also can happen if a plaque deposit breaks off and clots a coronary artery.

Important Tests
Doctors can determine your risk for CAD by checking your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose, and by finding out more about your family's history of heart disease. If you're at high risk or already have symptoms, your doctor can perform several tests to diagnose CAD including—

Test What it Does
ECD or EKG (electrocardiogram) measures the electrical activity, rate, and regularity of your heartbeat.

Echocardiogram uses ultrasound to create a picture of the heart.

Exercise stress test measures your heart rate while you walk on a treadmill. This helps to determine how well your heart is working when it has to pump more blood.

Chest X-ray creates a picture of the heart, lungs, and other organs in the chest.

Cardiac catheterization checks the inside of your arteries for blockage by threading a thin, flexible tube through an artery in the groin, arm, or neck to reach the coronary artery. Can measure blood pressure and flow in the heart's chambers, collect blood samples from the heart, or inject dye into the coronary arteries.

Coronary angiogram monitors blockage and flow of blood through the heart. Uses X-rays to detect dye injected via cardiac catheterization.

Treatment
If you have CAD, there are steps you can take to lower your risk for having a heart attack or worsening heart disease. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, exercising, and not smoking.

Medications may also be necessary. Medicines can treat CAD risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, and low blood flow. In some cases, more advanced treatments and surgical procedures can help restore blood flow to the heart.

CDC

Next Page »