Heart disease has historically been one of the leading causes of death amongst women. Heart health is foundational to good health, and thankfully, heart disease is highly preventable. Lifestyle choices and habits help lead to improved health outcomes and, consequently, better heart health. Dr. Marek Janout, American College of Cardiology member and cardiologist at Palouse Heart Center, explains that a key part of prevention is becoming better informed about risk factors and symptoms and making necessary lifestyle changes.
Heart Disease and Risk Factors
Heart disease is best described as any ailment that affects the heart and the cardiovascular system. Such ailments include disturbances of heart rhythm, stroke, disorders of the vascular system, and congestive heart failure. There are a variety of risk factors that contribute to heart disease; some of these risk factors, however, can be controlled or managed.
Dr. Janout lists body weight, activity level, dietary selections, smoking, and alcohol consumption as risk factors that people can directly control. As for risk factors that are out of one’s control, such as family history or having a medical condition like diabetes, the good news is these can be treated or managed with medications.
Women and Heart Attacks
“A common misconception is that women have completely different symptoms to men when experiencing a heart attack or angina,” remarks Dr. Janout. “It’s true that women are more likely to get atypical symptoms, such as nausea, shortness of breath, and pain in their neck, back, jaw, or shoulder, but the most common symptom for women is chest pain.”
When asked how a woman knows if she’s having a heart attack, Dr. Janout explains that they will typically experience symptoms severely and constantly and are passing out, and that it’s important that they visit the Emergency Department as soon as possible. If the symptoms are much milder, or they come and go, contacting their primary care provider would be a reasonable first step.
Know Your Numbers: Ideal Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol Levels
Dr. Janout shares that a great starting point for women to take charge of their heart health is by “knowing their numbers.” The most important ones he encourages women to focus on are ideal body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Knowing these values makes it possible to strategize the lifestyle changes necessary to reduce risk of heart disease. The added benefit of knowing these numbers is that there are other medical conditions that are affected by the same risk factors, such as cancer.
When it comes to staying heart healthy, Dr. Janout emphasizes that preventing heart disease is possible. Knowing what symptoms to look out for, what risk factors can and can’t be controlled, and familiarity with health maintenance levels can all decrease a woman’s chances of contracting heart disease. If you have concerns with your heart health, talk to your primary care provider about a referral to Palouse Heart Center today.
