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Women's
Services 
The Heart Group and Deaconess Hospital have launched a year-long women and heart disease program. Called "Heart and Soul," the program's goal is to raise awareness of heart disease and to provide risk assessment, education and intervention for the women of the Tri-State. Scan these pages to find out more about Heart & Soul and see what The Heart Group and Deaconess have to offer that will help lower your risk of heart disease.
Even though heart disease is the biggest killer of American women, misperceptions about heart disease still exist. There are people who believe that heart disease is not a real problem for women, yet statistics show otherwise.
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Cardiovascular disease kills more women than the next seven causes of death combined.
- Cardiovascular disease kills more
women than men.
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Cardiovascular disease kills 1 in every 2.5 woman each year
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Within 6 years of a heart attack: 35% of women will have another heart attack, 14% will develop chest pain, 11% will have a stroke, 46% will be disabled with heart failure, and 6% will experience sudden death.
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Forty percent of women, compared to 24% of men, die within one year after a heart attack.
In Indiana and Vanderburgh County
- Total deaths from cardiovascular disease in Indiana in one year: 21,900.
- In Vanderburgh County in one year: 791, which is 42 percent of all deaths.
- Of the 791 deaths, 432, or 55 percent, were women.
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
Deac
oness
Hospital web site offers a health risk profile that estimates your risk of
developing heart disease compared to the average man or woman. More importantly,
it tells you which factors contribute to your risk and what you can do to reduce
your chance of developing heart disease. The Heart Disease Risk Profile helps
you take action to reduce your chance of developing heart disease and its
complications.
Click on the link below to begin your health risk profile.
Women don't always feel the warning signs of heart disease the same way men do. For women, chest pain, or a feeling of pressure may come and go and it may occur in the upper abdomen rather than in the center or the chest.
A woman may also have trouble breathing or feel weak or tired when doing something that used to be easy. Or she may have heartburn or nausea that doesn't seem related to anything she has eaten.
The American Heart Association says the body likely will send one or more of these warning signals of a heart attack:
Warning Signs of Heart Attack
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Classic |
Other
symptoms |
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Chest discomfort
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Indigestion or
gas-like |
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Pain spreading to shoulders, neck or |
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Nausea |
Discomfort/pain |
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Any
of these symptoms can occur in men or women. |
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If
these symptoms last more than 15 minutes, seek help. |
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If
you are experiencing symptoms that could signal a heart attack
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Call 9-1-1 and get to the emergency department quickly to minimize possible damage to your heart.
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Consider taking an aspirin at the first sign of heart attack symptoms.
Or, if you've had a heart
attack . . .
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Ask your doctor about the role of aspirin, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors in preventing second heart attacks.
- Ask your doctor to refer you to a cardiac rehabilitation program.
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Ask your doctor about nicotine-withdrawal medications, and find a smoking cessation support group.
Heart disease develops over many years. Each of a number of factors increases your risk for heart disease.
Smoking: Smoking damages the lining of the blood vessels and raises blood pressure. It is the biggest of all the risk factors you can change.
High Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fatlike substance in the blood. It can cause fatty deposits called plaque to build up and narrow your blood vessels. The higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk for heart disease.
High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure occurs when blood presses too hard against the walls of the blood vessels. This damages the lining of the vessels. Blood pressure over 140/90 raises your risk for heart disease.
Lack of Exercise: Exercise strengthens your heart. It can also lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and help you control your weight. Inactive people double their risk for heart disease.
Stress: Stress increases your blood pressure and heart rate. This can damage the lining of the blood vessels and lead to heart disease.
Diabetes: If you have diabetes, your risk for heart disease more than doubles. This is because high blood sugar damages the blood vessels.
Family History: If a close family member had heart disease before 55, your risk for heart disease may be higher. Your risk is also higher if you're African American.
Age: Blood vessels narrow and harden with age. The older you are, the greater your risk for heart disease.
Making even one lifestyle change for your heart reduces your risk for heart disease. Change is hard for everyone, so take it one step at a time. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Make a Plan. Trying to do too much too fast can end in failure. Start by writing down all the things you'd like to do to lower your risks. Break each one down in small steps. If you said, "Cut down on fat," a small step could be to use fruit spread instead of butter on your toast. Or to take soup and a roll for lunch instead of going out for a hamburger and fries. Decide which step you'd like to take first. Then choose a second and a third step. Check off each step as you go along. If a step isn't working, try another. Come back to the first one later.
Keep Records. Keeping records helps you know your habits and see your successes. Keeping an exercise record can help you see your progress and keep you going. Keeping food records can help you see your eating patterns and plan ways to make small changes. Noting when you feel stressed or want to smoke can help you think of ways to avoid those triggers.
Reward Yourself. Making changes isn't easy. You deserve to reward yourself when you succeed. Just making the change may be its own reward. But why not give yourself an extra pat on the back? Give yourself something special you've been wanting. Do something that you've always promised yourself you'd do.
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Women don't get heart disease. |
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They do. | |
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You can't get heart disease if
you're not overweight, or if your blood pressure and cholesterol are
normal. |
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These factors all help prevent heart disease, but none of them alone guarantees that you won't get heart disease. | |
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Taking estrogen after menopause prevents heart disease. |
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Estrogen may lessen your chances of getting heart disease, but alone it can't prevent it. |
