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Question: What is the leading cause of death in women in the U.S.?
 Answer: Heart Disease
In 2006 alone, heart disease was the cause of death for more than 300,000
women. The statistics show that more women die of heart disease than die from
ALL types of cancers combined!
It is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older; the third
leading cause of death among women aged 25 to 44 years; and the second leading
cause of death among women aged 45 to 64 years.
Some unsettling facts:
More women die yearly of heart disease than men.
The average estimated number of YEARS LOST due to a heart attack is 15!
People who survive a heart attack have a 1.5-15 times higher risk of other
illness or death than those not having a heart attack.
The estimated 2010 costs related to Coronary Heart disease is $177.1 BILLION!
About every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack.
One in three adults has high blood pressure.
Cigarette smokers are 2-4 times
more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers; cigarette smoking
nearly doubles a person’s risk
for stroke; cigarette smokers are more than 10 times as likely as nonsmokers
to
develop peripheral vascular disease.
The GOOD News:
Heart Disease is the most preventable cause of death in women, and prevention
is easy. Here are measures you can take to substantially reduce your risk.
- Don’t smoke – or
quit if you do. Do you really want a cigarette to determine your longevity?
- Exercise; as little as 30
minutes of MODERATE physical activity – walking
or aerobic activity daily. Start a program with a few minutes throughout
the day increasing the time daily and weekly. As well as improving your
heart health
and overall well being exercise helps to lower blood pressure. Walking
just three hours a week at a speed of 3.5 to 5 miles per hour can reduce
your risk
by 30% - 40%; walking more than five hours a week can reduce your risk
by 50%! It’s never too late to start.
- Diet is a key factor in overall
health, but especially in heart health. Eat a variety of fresh fruits
and vegetables. When eating meats, choose lean
meats and reduce portion sizes and frequency. Whole grains and low/no fat
dairy should be included in your diet. Change your eating habits from
high fat, high
sugar and empty calorie foods to a heart healthy diet plan.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
This is a key element in maintaining overall health, not just heart health.
Many diseases are directly related to weight
maintenance.
- Alcohol should only be used
in moderation – women should limit themselves
to one alcoholic beverage per day.
Moving fast when you’re having a heart attack could save your life. But
in order to do so, you have to know you’re having one – you must
know the symptoms. Not enough people do, so here they are:
• Pressure or pain in the center of the chest
• A squeezing sensation in the chest
• A pain in the jaw
• Pain in the left arm
• Nausea, queasiness or indigestion
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting
• Sense of restlessness, anxiety or impending doom
• Disorientation
• Extreme, unusual fatigue
Women tend to experience some of the less well known symptoms, such as unusual
fatigue, lightheadedness or nausea. It’s important for women to know
this so that they can identify a heart attack when they’re having one.
The classic symptoms, like chest pain or a pain in the left arm or the jaw
are often not experienced by women, but their heart attack can be just as severe
as men’s, regardless. Heart attacks are the most common cause of death
among women in the U.S.
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