heart health | HEART DISEASE AND WOMEN
Take action to protect yourself
tell your doctor
Your risk for heart disease is greater if your father or brother had heart
For both men and women, the biggest risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, family history, and age. You can’t do much about your family history or your age, but you can minimize your risk by making the following lifestyle changes below.
disease before age 65. Tell your doctor what you know
about your family’s health history.
If you need medicine
If you have coronary artery disease or angina, or if you have had a heart attack, taking an aspirin every day may lower your risk of problems. Aspirin makes your blood thinner so that it is less likely to make a blood clot that can block an artery. However, aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and other problems. Talk to your doctor about whether you should consider taking aspirin. Cholesterol-lowering
medicines like statins lower the risk of heart attacks in men. There is not enough evidence to show that these medicines work as well for women who have never had a heart attack. However, if you have already had a heart attack, cholesterol-lowering medicines can lower your risk of another attack. Medicines called beta blockers and ACE inhibitors may also help if you have heart problems. Ask your doctor if any of these medicines might be right for you.
DON’T SMOKE
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease in women. In fact, more than half of the heart attacks in women under age 50 are related to smoking. Women who smoke and use birth control pills are at even greater risk. If you stop smoking you can lower your risk for heart attack significantly. Talk to your doctor about making a plan to quit smoking.
CONTROL HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Treating high blood pressure can lower your risk for heart attack and stroke. Losing weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet are all ways to help control your blood pressure. Reducing how much salt you consume may also help. If these steps don’t lower high blood pressure, your doctor will recommend that you take medicine.
CONTROL YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL
If you don’t know your level, ask your doctor to check it. Diet and exercise are key in lowering a high cholesterol level. However, some people also need to take medicine.
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Being overweight increases your risk for many health problems, including heart disease. Extra weight puts strain on your heart and arteries. Exercise and a healthy, low-fat diet can help you lose weight. Talk to your doctor about a safe way to shed the pounds.
EXERCISE REGULARLY
Remember, your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay in shape. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging, or biking, gives your heart the best workout. When exercising indoors, you can use fitness equipment, such as an exercise bicycle, treadmill, or elliptical trainer. Ask your doctor to help you develop a safe exercise plan.
EAT A LOW- FAT DIET
Keep fat calories to 30 percent or less of the total calories you take in each day. Avoid saturated fat (the fat in meats, dairy products, and baked goods or snacks that use hydrogenated or tropical oils).
TAKE CARE OF DIABETES
Regular exercise, weight control, a low-fat diet, and regular doctor visits can help control diabetes. If you need to take medicine for diabetes, be sure to take it exactly as your doctor tells you to.
44 building healthier communities
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