The Truth About Women and Heart Disease

(Family Features) Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Although it is largely preventable, each year more than 300,000 women, or 1 in every 5, die from heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 16 women ages 20 and older have coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease, and 75% of women 20-39 years old have one or more risk factors. These include diabetes, hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), high cholesterol, currently smoking or obesity. For African American and Hispanic/Latina women, the risk of heart disease is even greater. Among women 20 years and older, more than half of African American women and one-third of Hispanic/Latina women have hypertension, which when left uncontrolled greatly impacts the risk for heart disease or stroke. In an effort to educate women about heart disease at younger ages, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) The Heart Truth® program launched an initiative called Yes, YOU! The initiative is focused on empowering younger women to know the facts about heart disease, understand their personal risk factors and equip themselves with resources to take action to protect their hearts. The key takeaway is it’s never too early, or too late, to adopt heart-healthy behaviors. One of the first steps heart health experts recommend is learning more about any family history of heart disease and about risk factors that you can change with healthy lifestyle choices. “Awareness is the first step toward reducing risk,” said Gina S. Wei, M.D., M.P.H., associate director of NHLBI’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences and NHLBI’s senior scientific advisor on women’s health. “Women need to be empowered to know the facts so they can take action to protect their hearts.” Consider these recommended steps from the Yes, YOU! initiative for women looking to improve their heart health: Eat a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole greens and low in saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Increase physical activity by aiming for at least 150 minutes each week Maintain a healthy weight Control blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night Talk to your health care provider about resources to help quit smoking Manage stress by practicing self-care and having positive social support In addition to a public service announcement, the initiative’s webpage features fact sheets in English and Spanish, social media resources to promote heart health and video testimonials from women who share their heart health experiences. For more information about heart disease in women and tools to help create a heart-healthy lifestyle, visit go.nih.gov/YesYOU.   Photo courtesy of Shutterstock