Consider these statistics:

• Cardiovascular disease causes 43 percent of deaths in American women.
• 38 percent of women will die within a year after a first recognized heart attack.
• 13 percent of women age 45 and older have had a heart attack.
• Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women, but only 8 percent identify it as such. Most women perceive breast cancer to be the biggest threat to their health.
• One in 29 deaths is associated with breast cancer. But 1 in 2.4 women die from cardiovascular disease.
  

You can make a difference. By learning prevention strategies and understanding the signs of heart disease, you can help slow or stop its progression.

Cindy Hudson, Manager, Cardiac Rehabilitation, wants to see more women take a proactive role by protecting their hearts. To that end, the Lancaster General Heart Center is developing a new Women’s Heart Program to educate women about the signs and risk for heart disease. When a woman is identified as being at-risk for developing heart disease, she will have the opportunity to register for educational sessions to learn how she can lower them. Women will follow up with their family physician to track their progress.

“Women are often the caregivers in the family. They feel like they just don’t have time to get sick,” Cindy says. “Studies show that women who are having heart problems seek treatment later than men. They don’t always realize what’s going on, so when they do seek medical attention they are usually in more critical shape.”

In addition, women tend to develop heart disease later in life than men. That means that they may have other health problems such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or diabetes. The symptoms from these other conditions can mask the warning signs of heart disease.

While risk factors such as heredity and age cannot be changed, others can, including:

• Smoking: If you smoke, you are several times more likely to have a heart attack than a woman who does not smoke. Your risk increases daily, the more you smoke. Besides contributing to heart disease and stroke, smoking also increases your risk of developing other health problems, including cancer.
• Obesity & Activity: According to a report issued by the Surgeon General, close to 60 percent of American women do not exercise enough. Studies also show that at least 23 percent of all women are obese. Exercising 30 minutes a day several days a week can help you to manage your weight and improve your overall health.
• High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol: Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and to screen your cholesterol levels to make sure both are within acceptable ranges. A healthy diet and exercise can help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol level under control.
• Stress: Do you deal with stress by smoking or eating? If you do, you’re doing yourself more harm than good. Try exercising to reduce stress. Or learn some stress management techniques that will benefit your health—not detract from it.

If your doctor feels you are at risk for developing heart disease, Lancaster General Heart Center provides a full range of diagnostic and treatment options, many of which use the most advanced technologies available.

To reduce your risks, Lancaster General Wellness Center offers classes on stress management, smoking cessation and weight loss as well as an Over 50 & Fit walking club.

For information on our risk reduction programs, check our online calendar or call 544-3138.
For information on the Women’s Heart program, call 544-3644.
 

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