Heart Disease and Women

Posted: Oct. 1, 2004

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States.

Studies among people with heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, having a non-fatal heart attack, and needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.

Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

If you're a woman aged 40-60, it's especially important that you begin right away to lower your risk.
That's the time when a woman's risk of heart disease starts to rise. Younger and older women also need to act now. Heart disease can begin early, even in the teen years. But it's also never too late to improve heart health — even for those who have already had a heart attack.

To begin accessing your heart disease risk, answer the following questions:

• Do you smoke?
• Is your blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or higher, OR you have been told by your doctor that your blood pressure is too high?
• Has your doctor told you that your total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL or higher or your HDL (good cholesterol) is less than 40mg/dL?
• Has your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55 OR your mother or sister had one before age 65?
• Do you have diabetes OR a fasting blood sugar of 126mg/dL or higher, OR do you need medicine to control your blood sugar?
• Are you a woman over 55 years old?
• Do you have a body mass index (BMI) score of 25 or more? For more information and to calculate your BMI, visit www.medicalmoment.org/_content/risks/jun04/231954.asp
• Do you get less than a total of 30 minutes of physical activity on most days?
• Has a doctor told you that you have angina (chest pains), or have you had a heart attack?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you’re at an increased risk of having a heart attack. If you don’t know your blood pressure or cholesterol, check with your health care provider.

Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

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