Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 148) women HEART DISEASE Heart disease and women: A silent risk Heart disease is one of the most serious health problems of our times — take steps now to reduce your risk of developing this disease. By Sarah Smiley Young risk by making the following lifestyle changes: ● Don’t DID YOU KNOW? Women are less likely to survive heart attacks than men. It’s important to know the signs of a heart attack, such as pain in your chest, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath or sudden nausea. Get help immediately if you experience any of these symptoms. smoke. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease in women. In fact, more than half of the heart attacks in women under age 50 are related to smoking. Women B y now we’ve all heard it: Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over age 65. Women generally who smoke and use birth control pills are at even greater risk. If you stop smoking, you can lower your risk for heart attack significantly. Talk develop heart problems later in life than men – typically 7 or 8 years later. However, by about age 65, a woman’s risk for heart disease is almost the same as a man’s. to your doctor about making a plan to quit smoking. ● Control high blood pressure. Treating high blood Take action to protect yourself For both men and women, the biggest risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, family history and age. You can’t do much about your family history or your age. But you can minimize your 148 familydoctor 2007 It’s important to eat a low-fat diet. pressure can lower your risk for heart attack and stroke. Losing weight, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet are all ways to help control your blood pressure. Reducing how much salt you consume may also help. If these steps don’t lower high blood pressure, your doctor will recommend that you take medicine.
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