Heart Disease Is The Leading Cause Of Death For Women
Heart disease is not just for men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women — and one of the most preventable. In a survey conducted by the American Heart Association, about half of the women interviewed knew that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, yet only 13% said it was their greatest personal health risk.
Breast Cancer Trumps Heart Concerns
Other survey data suggest that on a day-to-day basis, women still worry more about getting breast cancer — even though heart disease kills six times as many women every year. Many women say their physicians never talk to them about heart risk and sometimes they don’t even recognize the symptoms, mistaking them instead for signs of panic disorder, stress, and even hypochondria. The Million Women’s Heart Project intends to change this perception by increasing awareness and urging women to get tested.
April is Million Women’s Heart Project month.
Celebrities like Eva Longoria and Donna Karan and leaders in business, medicine, technology and education have teamed up to encourage and empower women to learn their personal risk for heart disease by getting screened for high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and to urge their friends and family to be tested, too.
Risks you can change
Family history and increasing age are among heart disease risks you can’t change, but risks that can be changed include smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesity or overweight, physical inactivity and diabetes.
Out of every 1,000 women tested, 750 will have risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure, and, armed with that information, most women will be able to take steps to protect themselves. To determine whether you are at increased risk for heart disease, take an interactive online assessment of your heart health here.
Women should not only be aware they can develop heart disease, but they also should know that symptoms of the disease can be very different than what is typically seen in men.
Symptoms
The symptoms of heart disease include feeling woozy, nausea or vomiting, and experiencing pain and discomfort in the arms, jaw, stomach, neck and the back. Because these symptoms are so vague, they are often mistaken for signs of panic disorder, stress, and even hypochondria. The Million Women’s Heart Project will educate and empower women so they can participate in their care and receive the right care.
The Million Women’s Heart Project is teaming up with hospitals and U.S. Wellness, which manages health education and screening events, to offer tests free to women, with costs paid by sponsors. The project intends to collect data on the test results, along with women’s stories about their lives and health. For more information about The Project click here.
[Photo by snarky_momma]Jeff Kreisberg is a patient advocate, educator, scientist author of the book “Taking Control of Your Healthcare,” and, until his retirement, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff also blogs regularly on health issues on his website, Taking Control of Your Healthcare. Follow him on Twitter: @kreisberg.
References:
http://www.millionwomensheartproject.com/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/about/message.htm
