It’s officially February | Red Dress Month | Heart Health Awareness Month – The American Heart Associations’s month to raise awareness about the prevention and symptoms of heart disease in women.
According to the American Heart Association:
- Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
- 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
- Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen.
- The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood.
- While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease.
Causes:
- Plaque Build-Up On Artery Walls
- Atherosclerosis (Caused By Build-Up)
- Blood Clots (Caused By Atherosclerosis)
Effects:
- Heart Failure | Congestive Heart Failure – Meaning the heart isn’t pumping blood well or getting enough oxygen.
- Arrhythmia – Abnormal heart rhythms (either too fast or too slow) – preventing the heart from keeping up with the needs of the body.
- Heart Valve Problems – When the valves don’t open enough for blood to correctly flow causing leakage, and even backwards blood flow.
Prevention:
- Don’t Smoke
- Manage your blood sugar
- Get your blood pressure under control
- Lower your cholesterol
- Know your family history
- Stay Active
- Lose weight
- Eat Healthy