Heart disease is the leading cause of death in
the United States for both women and men. A woman dies from heart disease every
80 seconds. More than 75 percent of these deaths could be prevented. About 80
percent of women in the United States have one or more risk factors for heart
disease, but most don't consider this to be the greatest risk to their health.
Less than 33 percent of women know heart
attack symptoms, and almost 44 million women in the U.S. have a form of heart
disease.
Death rates from heart disease have fallen
over the past two decades; however, death rates from heart attacks for women
still outpace those for men. The American Heart Association released new
research in early 2016 in which it recognized heart attacks have different
causes and symptoms in women than in men. The AHA also referenced evidence that
women have more complications and death rates within one year of a heart attack
than men.
Why
Do More Women Die From Heart Disease Than Men?
1. Societal Pressures and
Norms
Heart disease is thought of as a man's
disease. More women die of heart disease-related complications each year than
men, though. Women tend to postpone their own care and prioritize the care of
their family members ahead of their own. Women often have fewer opportunities
for stress relief as well, due to pressure both at work and at home.
2. Differences in
Treatment
Men are screened more aggressively than men
for heart disease. Women typically have more vague symptoms than men of heart
disease. Breast cancer screenings garner a lot of attention, but there is not a
lot of emphasis put on heart disease screenings for women. Phsyicians are also
less likely to be aggressive with heart attack treatment in women for fear of
complications with an angioplasty or coronary stenting. Women on average have
smaller hearts and smaller blood vessels and have higher rates of bleeding during
an emergency procedure for treating a heart attack.
3. Patients Lack
Awareness
Women typically think their greatest health
risk comes from uterine or breast cancer, not heart disease. However, heart
disease affects 1 in 3 women, compared to 1 in 8 affected by breast cancer.
Many women are unaware of the risk factors for heart disease and thus to not
modify their behaviors to reduce risk.
To
Reduce Risk…
1. Learn risk factors. Educate yourself and your
families about risk factors of heart disease as well as the risks of developing
it. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and
obesity.
2. Care for Yourself. See your healthcare
provider regularly. Actively participate in your own care, including lifestyle,
exercise, and diet. Request the appropriate screenings from your physician, and
discuss ways to reduce your risk. Committing to a regular exercise schedule
goes a very long way.
3. Advocate. Reducing the number of
deaths related to heart disease requires a team. Advocate for yourself and
others. Join with local leaders and groups such as the American Heart
Association.
4. Promote
research. More research is necessary to reduce the number of deaths from
heart disease. We must design clinical trials to determine the best treatments
for women, among other things.