There is a misconception that heart disease is a man’s disease. It is the number one killer of women in the United States and is also a leading cause of disability among women.
Unfortunately, no one is completely immune to heart disease.
The most common form of heart disease is called coronary artery disease, a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to a heart attack. The process actually may start at a young age. The lining of the blood vessels become inflamed which lead to the development of atherosclerotic plaque.
Risk factors such as diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or family history may accelerate this process.
A heart attack happens when the artery becomes completely blocked and the heart muscle becomes damaged. This can sometimes happen without warning. The plaque may rupture and a clot forms that suddenly obstructs the blood vessel to the heart. This may result in a life-threatening situation. Once you develop heart disease, you will have it for the rest of your life. If you don’t make changes in your habits, the condition of your blood vessels will worsen. This process of atherosclerosis in the blood vessel can be prevented or slowed if you reduced your risk factors.
Some risk factors, such as a family history of early heart disease and the aging process, are out of your control.
Risk factors that you can control include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, being sedentary and diabetes. You can reduce these risks by making lifestyle changes and, sometimes, taking medicine.
Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as lung cancer and other serious diseases. The rewards of quitting are big: Your heart disease risk drops by more than half one year after you stop.
High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. Blood pressure is called “high” when it is 140/90 or above, but your risk of heart disease is raised even at 120139 over 8089.
High blood cholesterol, especially LDL (low-density lipoprotein), can lead to blockages in the arteries — and a possible heart attack. Your risk of heart disease is higher the higher your LDL number is; 160 or above is high, less than 100 is best.
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) helps remove cholesterol from your blood; 60 or higher is protective, while a level less than 40 increases your heart disease risk. Your total cholesterol is also important. It should be less than 200.
People who are overweight are more likely to develop heart disease, even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight also increases the risk of stroke, congestive heart failure and developing other diseases.
A sedentary lifestyle not only increases your risk for heart disease, it also increases your chances of developing other heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. I recommend at least 30 minutes of some physical activity most days.
Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other diseases. Adults most commonly develop what is called Type 2 diabetes. Adults who are overweight, physically inactive, or who have a family history of diabetes are more likely than others to develop the disease.
The first step in protecting your heart and perhaps preventing heart disease is to find out your personal risk for heart disease. Ask you primary care doctor to help you assess it. Find out your numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol and the other risk factors. You can find online risk calculators if you search for “altherosclerotic cardiovascular disease calculator” which can estimate your 10-year and lifetime risk of heart disease.
A woman with even only one risk factor is far more likely than others to develop heart disease. Having two or more risk factors is especially serious. Risk factors compound and make each other worse, so controlling each one is important.
Preventing heart disease is in your control. The first step is to visit your primary care provider to get a thorough checkup. If you are at risk, ask your provider for help to achieve heart health.
Steven Weinsier is a Cardiologist at Hampshire Cardiovascular Associates. He is board certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and specializes in cardiology and interventional cardiology.
Women’s Health is written by health care professionals affiliated with Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton. It appears here monthly.