Monday, February 23, 2009

Why Heart Disease in Women is even More Dangerous than in Men!

By Jenny Rantoul

Both men and women can develop common heart problems. But heart disease in women can be much more dangerous according to researchers.

Both men and women need to be concerned about and must take good care of their hearts. Preventive tactics against heart disease can be equally effective for both men and women if undertaken early enough.

You probably thought that common heart problems are mostly found in men. That is the premise for so many researches focusing on the male of the species. However, we now discover than the rules change when women reach their mid-sixties.

Men do, indeed, carry a larger risk factor for heart problems earlier in life. According to one study, though, that all evens out when women reach approximately age 65. In fact, hard as it might be to believe, the average woman of that age in the USA is more likely to die from heart disease than all the cancers combined! How much more likely? Between four and six times more likely!

Studies have shown that heart attacks from heart disease cause more deaths in woman than in men. This could be caused by woman not recognizing the symptoms which vary from those typical for men, delaying diagnosis and treatment, having smaller vessels or being more susceptible to damage. Given the lower survival rate for women after a heart attack, additional research is necessary to determine the cause and find solutions.

Family history is one of the first things your doctor will ask you about. Genetics plays a big part in developing heart disease, and this is particularly true for women. Another area where women have greater risk is in smoking. Smoking is a much greater cause of heart disease in women than in men (although it is a cause of common heart problems in men). This is made worse when the woman smoker is using birth control pills or home replacement therapy.

Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels are key factors in preventing heart disease in women. If diet alone is not good enough to lower the blood pressure and cholesterol, prescription medication might be necessary. You should discuss this with your primary physician and follow through with any recommended plan to reduce your risks of heart disease.

Heart problems. Strokes. Diabetes. All of these are products of being overweight and eating a wrong diet. Make certain you exercise regularly and eat a heart healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet.

Aerobic exercises should be done a minimum of 20 minutes per day at least three times a week. Low impact exercises such as walking, biking or swimming will break you into a sweat and increase your heart rate. This is great for your heart and your overall health!

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