| What every Woman (and Man) Should Know about
Heart Disease Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women; 1 in 4 women in the United States dies of heart disease. Simply put, if you’ve got a heart, you need know about heart disease! Brush up on the basics, take a quick quiz to assess your heart disease risk, and take some steps to lower it. Then, this Friday, Feb 5th, join The Heart Truth® on National Wear Red Day® to help spread the critical message that "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women." ® What is coronary heart disease? Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a condition in which plaque builds up on the inner walls of the arteries of the heart. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. The buildup of plaque can narrow the coronary arteries over time. This reduces blood flow to the heart muscle and can lead to symptoms such as angina, or chest pain. In addition, the plaque can suddenly rupture or crack, causing a blood clot to form on the plaque’s surface. The blood clot rapidly blocks blood flow within the artery. If the clot becomes large enough, it can completely block blood flow to part of the heart muscle. This is the most common cause of a heart attack. Is there is a difference in heart disease between men and women? Recently, studies have shown that women are more likely than men to have coronary microvascular disease (MVD), which is a type of heart disease that affects the heart’s smallest arteries. In coronary MVD the walls of the heart’s tiny arteries are damaged or diseased, and the arteries don’t relax properly and can spasm (tighten). Women also are more likely than men to develop a condition called broken heart syndrome. In this recently recognized heart problem, extreme emotional stress can lead to reversible heart muscle failure. Doctors may misdiagnose broken heart syndrome as a heart attack because it has similar symptoms. However, unlike a heart attack, there’s no evidence of blocked heart arteries in broken heart syndrome, and most people have a full and quick recovery. Take this quick quiz to find out your risk of heart disease and heart attack Check the box next to each question where your answer is "Yes" | [ ] | Do you smoke? | | [ ] | Is your blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg, OR have you been told by your doctor that your blood pressure is too high? | | [ ] | Has your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, OR has your mother or sister had one before age 65? | | [ ] | Do you have diabetes OR a fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dL or higher, OR do you need medicine to control your blood sugar? | | [ ] | Are you over 55 years old? | | [ ] | Do you have a body mass index (BMI) score of 25 or more? (Calculate your BMI) | | [ ] | Do you get less than a total of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days? | | [ ] | Has a doctor told you that you have high cholesterol or triglyceride levels? | | [ ] | Has a doctor told you that you have angina (chest pains), OR have you had a heart attack? | If you checked any of the boxes above, you’re at an increased risk of having coronary heart disease (CHD) and having a heart attack. If you didn’t know the answers to any questions, talk to your health care provider about them. Your risk of CHD and heart attack increases with the number of risk factors you have and their severity. Risk factors tend to “gang up” and worsen each other’s effects. Having just one risk factor doubles your risk of CHD. Having two risk factors increases your risk of CHD fourfold. Having three or more risk factors increases your risk of CHD more than tenfold! Also, some risk factors, such as smoking and diabetes, put you at greater risk of CHD and heart attack than others. Additional risk factors include anemia and sleep apnea. Learn more about heart disease risk factors in women. Lower your risk for heart disease Take action starting today to control your risk factors and prevent or delay CHD and its complications. - Follow a healthy diet. Emphasize a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and fat-free or low-fat milk or milk products. A healthy diet is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar. For more information, explore the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH).
- If you’re overweight or obese, work with a health care professional to create a reasonable weight-loss plan that involves diet and physical activity.
- Engage in physical activity regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week.
- If you smoke, quit. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke.
- Learn your family history of CHD. If you or someone in your family has CHD, be sure to tell your doctor.
- If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, you also may need medicines to control your CHD risk factors. Take all of your medicines as prescribed.
 As you celebrate National Wear Red Day this coming Friday, February 5th, celebrate your personal heart health as well!
Join the National Wear Red Day celebration - Wear red this Friday and throughout American Heart Month to show your support for women and heart disease awareness.
- Follow The Heart Truth® on Twitter http://twitter.com/thehearttruth. Participate in the virtual National Wear Red Day Twitter Party from 3:00 - 4:00 pm EST on Fri, Feb 5th by including @TheHeartTruth as part of every relevant tweet.
- Post your photos to the National Wear Red Day® Flickr® group pool. Tag your photos NationalWearRedDay and TheHeartTruth.
- Become a fan of The Heart Truth® on Facebook.
Resources - The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women
- The Heart Truth for Women: An Action Plan
- The Heart Truth Wallet Card
- Podcasts on heart disease, heart disease risk factors, heart attack, and high blood pressure
®, ™ The Heart Truth, its logo, The Red Dress, and Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
®National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of HHS and the American Heart Association.
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