Cardiovascular Disease
- Women are six times more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer.
- Heart disease is the #1 cause of death among women in this country
- The death rate from heart disease is 33% higher among African-American women than Caucasian women
- Heart Attacks Are Caused by Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
I. Risk Factors: You Can’t Control
· Family History: Women with a history of premature heart disease among parents or siblings are at higher risk
· Age: As women grow older, the chance of developing heart disease increases (especially after the onset of menopause)
· Race: African-American women have a higher risk of death from heart disease than white women
II. Risk Factors: You Can Control
· Smoking
· Cholesterol
· Obesity
· Physical Inactivity
· Blood Pressure
· Diabetes
III. Women’s Experience of Heart Disease Is Different Than Men’s
· Women are more likely to die within one year after a heart attack
· Women are less likely to survive coronary artery bypass surgery
· Women are more likely to experience complications after angioplasty
· Women are more likely to have life threatening arrhythmias (irregular heart beats)
· These differences may be partially due to hormones, a woman’s smaller heart size and advanced age at diagnosis
IV. Warning Signs of Heart Attack
· Discomfort in the chest, jaw, neck, back, shoulder or arm
· Shortness of breath
· Nausea and/or vomiting
· Sweating
· Fatigue, weakness
· Feeling of anxiety
· Women’s symptoms are often vague and easily overlooked due to menapause