Women and Heart Disease: Facts and Prevention

February is American Heart Month, an annual, month-long event to raise awareness and offer education about heart disease. As the leading cause of death in American women, heart disease prevention is critical. The first step to prevention is awareness of risk factors.

These facts about heart disease in women can help to lower risk

Healthcare professionals should regularly share information with patients about women and heart disease; facts about prevention can help save lives. More than 42 million women are currently living with some form of cardiovascular disease, and the risk of heart attack is heightened if these women are smokers, have total cholesterol of more than 200 mg/dL, are overweight or have diabetes. Heart disease is entirely preventable as long as individuals take heed of their family’s history, live a healthy lifestyle and treat any necessary medical conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer the following advice, which healthcare professionals can offer to their patients to help prevent heart disease.

Eat a healthy diet. Packing a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and foods low in saturated fat but high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol. In addition, monitoring sodium intake can help lower blood pressure.
Maintain a healthy weight and get plenty of exercise. Getting regular exercise and living an active lifestyle can help maintain a healthy weight and body mass index (BMI), which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Eliminate smoking and consume alcohol in moderation. Smoking greatly increases the risk for heart disease and consuming too much alcohol can cause high blood pressure.

Prevent heart disease by controlling medical conditions

Some individuals may already struggle with medical conditions that can contribute to cardiovascular disease. If that’s the case, they should actively manage these conditions and work with healthcare professionals to decrease high cholesterol or blood pressure or manage diabetes to prevent future heart disease issues. The CDC offers these tips, which healthcare providers can share with their patients.

Check cholesterol levels and monitor blood pressure. Healthcare professionals should test cholesterol at least once every five years to make sure it’s still within a healthy range. Blood pressure, on the other hand, should be checked more regularly as high blood pressure has no visible symptoms.
Manage diabetes. Individuals with diabetes should closely monitor their blood sugar levels, but should also speak with their healthcare professionals about other treatment options.
Stay up to date on medications and conversations with your healthcare provider. Following the instructions with different medications to manage high cholesterol or high blood pressure can help curb these conditions and minimize the risk for heart disease.

When it comes to women and heart disease, facts about the circumstances can seem daunting; after all, more women than men die of heart disease each year and women are less likely than men to receive proper treatment for a heart attack. However, it’s important to remember just how preventable heart disease can be, especially if individuals are staying involved, up to date and “in the know” about their medical histories – and those of their families as well.

For healthcare professionals wanting to arm themselves with as much knowledge as possible for managing cardiovascular disease and associated issues, Health Ed Solutions offers an ACLS study guide online and an ACLS certification guide. Both of these resources can help new-to-field healthcare professionals and veterans of the field better understand the latest techniques in treating and managing heart disease.