Do you smoke, drink or lead a sedentary life? Do you
have high blood pressure, sugar or cholesterol levels? Are you under
stress due to personal or professional problems? Do you think you are
suffering from Cardiovascular-Disease (CVD)? These questions are largely
applicable to most people but are extremely crucial when it comes to
women.
Why? The answer lies in the exponential
increase in the incidence of CVDs among women. The death rate due to
cardiac disease among women has increased from 30 per cent in 1997 to 54
per cent in 2009 and the myth that heart disease is a ‘man’s disease’
has been debunked.
Underestimated
Almost
half of the 17.3 million annual CVD’s deaths occur in women, though the
risk is often underestimated. If you ask women about the greatest
health problem they face, the majority would say breast cancer. But it
is CVD, which poses the greatest health problem for women today. It
claims the lives of more women than all forms of cancer combined.
Children
are also at risk since they have little control over their environment
and their heart-healthy choices can be limited. The other reason is
Congenital heart defect (CHD). This is caused by improper development of
the heart during foetal development. Mothers who do not adhere to the
special diet necessary to manage the disease during pregnancy have a
higher risk of having a child with congenital heart disease.
Women with
insulin-dependent diabetes may have a higher risk of having a child with
heart defects.
The most common cause of CVD is
Atherosclerosis (hardening/clogging of arteries caused by the build-up
of cholesterol and fatty deposits (called plaque) on the inner walls of
the arteries. This restricts blood flow to the heart.
Without
adequate blood, the heart is starved of oxygen and the vital nutrients
it needs to work properly. When one or more of the coronary arteries
becomes blocked, a heart attack (injury to the heart muscle) can occur.
The
most important challenge is to identify the symptoms in women because
these are often different (see box). Sixty four per cent of women who
died suddenly because of coronary heart disease had no previous
symptoms.
The symptoms may occur with or without chest pain and may come
and go.
Risk factors
Older age: When woman reaches the age of 50-52 (the age of natural menopause), the risk of heart disease increases dramatically
Family history: If your parents have CVDs, you have an increased risk of developing it
Race:
Risk of CVDs varies with race. For example, Afro-Americans have more
severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and are at higher risk of
CVDs. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes in
these populations.
Remember, CVD is largely
preventable. You can ensure your heart stays healthy by following a
healthy lifestyle. Your heart is in your hands.
Symptoms in women
A feeling of being squeezed or discomfort/pain in the chest, between the breasts or behind the breastbone
Discomfort and/or radiating pain over arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
Shortness of breath, weakness or fatigue
Unusual anxiety or nervousness
Indigestion or gas-like pain, nausea
Sudden sweating, dizziness and collapse
What you can do
Be physically active, walk or work out regularly
Avoid foods full of salt, saturated and trans fats and sugar. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Maintain a healthy weight
Quit smoking and avoid respiratory irritants
Limit or stop alcohol use
Stop smoking, avoid products containing tobacco
Those with lung problems should get annual influenza vaccination
