Until recent years, heart disease was considered a man’s disease. The information available for treating, diagnosing, and preventing heart disease was based solely on the male patient’s experience.
The problem with that is that heart disease in females presents itself in a very different way than it does for men.
Heart disease in female baby boomers is a completely different ball game.
Years ago when studies on heart disease were being conducted it was common to only study male participants. Women were not allowed to be involved in the clinical trials. This meant that the insight that medical professionals received was relevant only to male subjects and they had no information to compare female subjects to.
As a result, most people can recognize a heart attack in the stereotypical image of a man crying out in pain and grasping at his chest. However, it is easy to overlook a woman having a heart attack because female victims may not experience any symptoms at all.
Statistics show that as many as two-thirds of women who die suddenly from coronary disease never had any symptoms.
So how are we supposed to catch it before the worst happens? Well, the symptoms in women actually do exist. As modern science has begun to catch up to the times by taking care to study women, a list of symptoms have been identified. However, they are much different from the symptoms men experience and they are also more subtle.
Some of the symptoms of heart attacks for women include:
- Breathing difficulty
- Heavy perspiration
- Disrupted sleep
- Exhaustion
- Stomach cramps
- Sharp upper body pain
- Jaw pain
- Rapid heart rate
- Chest pain, a tight discomfort
- Nausea
- Pain in either arm
- Neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Vomiting
- Headaches
The frightening reality is that heart disease is the leading killer of women. One in five women dies from heart disease. Yes, you read that right: one in five women dies. The fact that it can happen without any warning signs is incredibly unsettling.
With numbers like that, women of all ages need to be extra diligent in maintaining medical check-ups and monitoring their heart health. Keeping an eye out for the symptoms mentioned above will help women and their loved ones spot the signs before it’s too late.
Our best defense against this often silent killer is in knowing the risk factors, causes, and symptoms of heart disease.
Knowing this information could be the difference between surviving a heart attack or not.
There are several types of heart disease, which is a term referring to malformations or dysfunctions of the heart organ itself. Thankfully, most types of heart disease in female babyboomers are preventable. This gives us some control over our individual level of risk. The lifestyle we live in is one of the biggest deciding factors in our risk of developing heart disease. We can control our risk by deciding to take control of our lifestyle.
We can keep our heart healthy by:
- Maintain a healthy weight. I know you don’t want to hear it, but ladies, if your waist circumference is higher than 35, your heart is at risk. Men can get by with a waist measurement of 40 inches. Managing your weight is the best way to maintain your heart health as well as your overall health.
- Eat balanced meals. This includes a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein in order to provide your body with the key nutrients you need to stay healthy. Staying hydrated is also vital. Be sure to limit your alcohol intake. Drinking too much can increase your blood pressure and cause other complications.
- Make regular exercise a priority habit. Not only does exercise help you maintain your weight, but it also helps reduce your risk of heart disease by reducing the chance of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes type 2. All of which are enormous contributors to heart disease.
- Do not smoke. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death. It damages almost all of your body functions. The great news, though, is that it only takes one day for your body to begin repairing the damages done once you have quit smoking.
- Effectively and consistently care for diagnosed health concerns. Attending your regular doctor appointments and taking medications as prescribed is an important part of protecting your health. It’s important to get high blood pressure or cholesterol under control. Diabetes is one of the most dangerous and common risks for heart disease. Keeping blood sugar under control is vital to lowering heart disease risk. Be sure to speak with your doctor about any concerns you may have.
The CDC says that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Both men and women need to always be aware of what their blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol numbers are. Aging is tough on the body and heart disease is very sneaky. Taking care to pay close attention to your health is the best way to prevent complications as you get older. While there is no way to rewind time, there are ways to improve your quality of life. The sooner you begin to take your health into your own hands, the more longevity you will have. Everything from food to exercise makes a large impact on the day-to-day.
