The numbers are staggering!  Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. That’s approximately one woman every minute!

There are several misconceptions about heart disease in women and they could be putting you at risk. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health and want every woman and man to know the truth. Not all heart attacks come with warning.

“Just like the name implies, a silent heart attack is a heart attack that has either no symptoms, minimal symptoms or unrecognized symptoms,” says Deborah Ekery, M.D., a clinical cardiologist at Heart Hospital of Austin and with Austin Heart in Austin, TX. “But it is like any other heart attack where blood flow to a section of the heart is temporarily blocked and can cause scarring and damage to the heart muscle.” She adds.

A silent heart attack happens when the flow of blood is blocked in the coronary arteries by a buildup of plaque. Studies differ, but some suggest that silent heart attacks are more common in women than in men. Ekery points out that women and their physicians may also be more likely to chalk up symptoms of a silent heart attack to anxiety and dismiss them. Still, she says, the risk factors for a silent heart attack are the same as those for a recognized heart attack which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, family history of heart disease, obesity and age.

 

RISK FACTORS THAT CAN BE MANAGED WITH LIFESTYLE CHANGES & HEALTHCARE

  • | High blood pressure
  • | Smoking
  • | High blood cholesterol
  • | Lack of regular activity
  • | Obesity or overweight
  • | Diabetes

RISK FACTORS YOU CAN’T CONTROL

 

IDEAL NUMBERS (OR LESS THAN)

Cholesterol /HDL Good Cholesterol

Blood Pressure 120/80mm/hg

Fasting Blood Sugar 100mg/dL

Body Mass Index 25kg/M2

 

The biggest part of living healthy comes down to simply making healthy choices. Healthy choices can be just as satisfying as the unhealthy ones, but you have to learn which choices are healthy and which ones aren’t.

 

BOTTOMLINE:

  • Healthy Diet
  • Physical Activity
  • Plenty of Rest
  • Reduce Stress

 

Last word…Migraines can predict heart troubles.  According to The British Medical Journal, a study over 20 years revealed that women with migraines stood a 50% higher risk of developing major heart problems.