When you hear the term "heart disease," you may think, "That's a man's disease" or "Not my problem." But here is The Heart Truth®: one in four women in the United States dies of heart disease, while one in 30 dies of breast cancer. If you've got a heart, heart disease could be your problem.
An astonishing 80 percent of women ages 40 to 60 have one or more risk factor for heart disease. Having one or more risk factors dramatically increases a woman's chance of developing heart disease because risk factors tend to worsen each other's effects. In fact, according to research compiled by the NHLBI, having just one risk factor doubles your chance of developing heart disease.
Whatever a woman's age, she needs to take action to protect her heart health. Heart disease can begin early, even in the teen years, and women in their 20s and 30s need to take action to reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Yet among U.S. women ages 18 and older,:
- 17.3% are current smokers
- 51.6% are overweight (BMI of 25 or greater)
- 27% have hypertension
- 35% have high cholesterol
- 53% do not meet physical activity recommendations.
African American and Hispanic women, in particular, have higher rates of some risk factors for heart disease and are disproportionately affected by the disease compared to white women.
- More than 80% of midlife African American women are overweight or obese
- 52% have hypertension
- 14% have been diagnosed with diabetes
- Some 83% of midlife Hispanic women are overweight or obese, and more than 10% have been diagnosed with diabetes
Some women believe that doing just one healthy thing will take care of all their heart disease risk. For example, they may think that if they walk or swim regularly, they can still smoke and stay fairly healthy. This is wrong. To protect your heart, it is vital to make changes that address each risk factor you have.
A damaged heart can damage your life by interfering with enjoyable activities and even your ability to do simple things, such as taking a walk or climbing steps. Heart disease cannot be "cured." It is a lifelong condition—once you get it, you’ll always have it.
Know the risk factors for heart disease:
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Being physically inactive
- Age (55 or older for women)
- Having a family history of early heart disease
Talk to your doctor to get more answers. Start taking action today to protect your heart. Heart disease is preventable. By making healthy lifestyle changes and taking steps to manage risk factors, women can reduce their risk for heart disease. Visit The Heart Truth's website for more information.
