Women’s Risk for Heart Disease

Women are at risk for heart disease and heart attacks, just like men. In fact:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65.
• American women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die of heart disease than of breast cancer.
• Heart disease kills more women over 65 than all cancers combined.

Women develop heart problems later in life than men - typically 7 or 8 years later. However, by about age 65, a woman's risk is almost the same as a man's. Also, the rates of heart attack over the last 20 years have been increasing for women aged 35 to 54. It makes sense for women to pay attention to their heart health.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women

Like in men, the most common heart attack symptom for women may be pain or discomfort in the chest. However, women can also have a heart attack without having any chest pain. Some of the other symptoms women might experience include:

• Feeling out of breath
• Pain that runs along the neck, jaw, or upper back
• Nausea, vomiting or indigestion
• Unexplained sweating
• Sudden or overwhelming fatigue
• Dizziness

Learn about Women’s Heart Services at MVH.

Heart Disease Risk Factors for Women

The American Heart Association  has identified several factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The more risk factors a woman has, the greater her risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Some of these risk factors you can't control, such as increasing age, family health history, and race and gender. But you can modify, treat or control most risk factors to lower your risk.

Risk factors that cannot be changed:

• Increasing age - As women grow older, their risk of heart disease and stroke begins to rise and keeps rising with age.
• Gender - Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women, and they have attacks earlier in life. Each year about 55,000 more women than men have strokes, and about 60 percent of total stroke deaths occur in women.
• Heredity (family history) - Both women and men are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke if their close blood relatives have had them. Race is also a factor. Black women have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke than white women. Compared with whites, African-American men and women are more likely to die of stroke.
• Previous heart attack or stroke or TIA - Women who've had a heart attack are at higher risk of having a second heart attack; 22 percent of women ages 40 to 69 who survive a first heart attack will have another heart attack or fatal coronary heart disease within five years, and 22 percent ages 40 to 69 who survive a first stroke will have another within five years. A transient ischemic attack (TIA or "mini-stroke") also is a risk factor and predictor of stroke.

Risk factors that can be changed:

• Tobacco smoke - Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular heart disease among women. Women who smoke have an increased risk for ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Constant exposure to others' tobacco smoke (secondhand smoke) at work or at home also increases the risk, even for nonsmokers. Women smokers who use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke than nonsmokers who use them.
• High blood cholesterol - High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and also increases the risk of stroke. Studies show that women's cholesterol is higher than men's from age 55 on. High levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) raise the risk of heart disease and heart attack. High levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) lower the risk of heart disease. Research has shown that low levels of HDL cholesterol seem to be a stronger risk factor for women than for men.
• High blood pressure - High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and the most important risk factor for stroke. Women have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure if they are obese, have a family history of high blood pressure, are pregnant, take certain types of birth control pills or have reached menopause. African-American women have higher average blood pressure levels compared to Caucasian women.
• Physical inactivity - Various studies have shown that lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart disease and indirectly increases the risk of stroke. Overall, they found that heart disease is almost twice as likely to develop in inactive people than in those who are more active. When you're inactive and eat too much, you can gain excess weight. In many people overweight can lead to high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends accumulating at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most or all days of the week.
• Obesity and overweight - If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is located in your waist area - you're at higher risk for health problems, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
• Diabetes mellitus - Adults with diabetes have have heart disease death rates that are two to four times those of adults without diabetes. People with diabetes often have high blood pressure and high cholesterol and are overweight, increasing their risk even more. 

Additional risk factors:

• High triglyceride levels - Triglyceride is a common type of fat in the body. A high triglyceride level often goes with higher levels of total cholesterol and LDL, lower levels of HDL and increased risk of diabetes. But scientists don't agree that it's a risk factor for heart disease by itself. Research suggests that having high triglycerides may increase the risk for women more than for men.
• Excessive alcohol intake - The risk of heart disease in people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of one drink for women per day) is lower than in nondrinkers. However, it's not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol or increase the amount they drink. Excessive drinking and binge drinking can contribute to obesity, high triglycerides, cancer and other diseases, raise blood pressure, cause heart failure and lead to stroke. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol in any form.
• Individual response to stress - Research hasn't yet defined the role stress plays in the development of heart disease. People respond differently to situations they find stressful. Unhealthy responses to stress may lead to other risk behaviors like smoking and overeating.

Premier HeartWorks

Premier HeartWorks is a convenient, affordable way for anyone to receive a comprehensive evaluation of their risk of heart attack or stroke from a recognized leader in cardiac care, Miami Valley Hospital. Several assessments and programs are available individually or combined:

• Comprehensive Cardiac Risk Assessment – review of health and family medical history, consultation with a cardiovascular nurse and registered dietitian, physical exam, lab work, results reviewed by cardiologist and a follow-up visit included at no charge.
• Women’s Cardiovascular Program – a program specifically designed around the special needs of women and heart health. The program enables women to take a more active role in their health through education, counseling and exercise in a supportive environment through an assessment and exercise program.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call Premier HeartWorks at (937) 438-LIVE (5483).

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