Hints for A Woman’s Healthy Heart

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While the most common symptom of a heart attack is chest discomfort, women are more likely than men to have shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.  Low blood levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol, appear to be a stronger predictor of heart disease death in women over age 65 than in men; high blood levels of triglycerides, another type of fat, may also be an important risk factor in women.

Hormones and Your Heart
If you’re older than 35 or have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or if you smoke, birth control pills can pose a risk of heart disease. Talk with your doctor about alternatives.  While early studies indicated that hormone therapy for menopausal women might protect against heart disease, more recent findings suggest they do more harm than good.

Action Plan For A Healthy Heart
According to the Healthy Heart Handbook for Women from the NIH, simply by leading a healthy lifestyle, you can lower your heart disease risk by 82%. For most women, that means following a heart healthy eating plan, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.


Two Simple Ways to Take Control of your Heart Health
1. Tell your doctor you want help keeping your heart healthy. Heart disease used to be thought of as a man’s disease, and doctors may not routinely bring it up with women patients. Ask questions about your chances of developing heart disease and how you can lower your risk.

2. Know your family history. Share any risk factors with your doctor: for example, if you have a father or brother with heart disease before age 55 or a mother or sister before 65.

Surprising Facts
Fact: While one in 30 American women dies of breast cancer, one in every two dies of heart disease or stroke.

Fact: An unhealthy mouth has been linked to heart disease.