Health Conditions and Treatments

INTRODUCTION: Heart disease is a number of abnormal conditions that affect the heart and its blood vessels. Also called cardiovascular disease, it primarily affects older persons and indicates that there are problems with the heart and arteries.

It has become the number one cause of death in the U.S., is a primary cause of disability, doesn’t go away, but by working with your physician, you can live longer and feel better. Types of cardiovascular disease include: Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type and is the #1 cause of heart attacks.

In 2003, almost twice as many women died of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) than from all cancers combined. The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to develop cardiovascular disease; however women of all ages should be concerned.

African American and Hispanic American/Latina women are more likely to get heart disease because they tend to have more risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, and diabetes than Caucasian women. Women of color are also more likely to die of the disease.

Having diabetes increase your odds of getting heart disease and high levels of triglycerides have been linked to the disease in some people. Also Being overweight increases your risk. Chest or arm pain or discomfort can be a sign of cardiovascular disease and an omen of an actual or impending heart attack.

If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mom had one before age 65, you’re more likely to get heart disease. Birth control pills can present risks for some women, especially women older than 35, women with elevated blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol and those who smoke.

Nearly 700,000 people die of heart disease in the United States a year. You can find out more about heart disease by calling the National Women’s Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662.

The risk of coronary disease can be decreased by taking steps to prevent and control those factors that put people at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack. The very best ways to prevent heart disease are to control your blood pressure, diabetes or a higher than normal cholesterol level and, if you smoke, STOP SMOKING.

CHOLESTEROL: What does high cholesterol have to do with heart disease? Cholesterol can clog your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. People with high blood cholesterol or high blood triglycerides often have no symptoms, so have your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked regularly. If your levels are high, talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower them. You may be able to lower your levels by eating better and exercising more, if not, your doctor may prescribe medication to lower and bring it under control.

If there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries, forming plaque and producing blood clots. There are basically two kinds of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is usually called the “bad” type because it can clog the arteries that transport blood to your heart. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the “good” kind because it takes the bad cholesterol out of your blood and keeps it from building up in your arteries.

All women age 20 and older should have their blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked at least once every 5 years. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower your total cholesterol and LDL (”bad cholesterol”) levels.

Attempt to eat more meals low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Skim (fat-free) or low-fat (1%) milk and cheeses, and low-fat or nonfat yogurt, Fruits and vegetables (go for for 5 a day), Cereals, breads, rice, and pasta produced from whole grains (such as “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” bread and pasta, rye bread, brown rice, and oatmeal), Eat lesser amounts of organ meats (liver, kidney, brains), Egg yolks, Fats (butter, lard) and oils, Packaged and processed foods.

There are 2 diets that may help reduce your cholesterol: Heart Healthy Diet and Therapeutic Lifestyles Changes (TLC) Diet. Exercise can help reduce LDL (”bad cholesterol”) and raise HDL (”good cholesterol”). If your MD has prescribed medicine to reduce your cholesterol, take it exactly as you have been told to.

CONCLUSION: Heart disease is not contagious - you can’t catch it like you can the flu or a cold. It is a general term that refers to a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions that affect one or more of the components of the heart. The symptoms you describe to your doctor will help to decide if you need to be tested for heart disease. Your doctor will also check if you have any conditions that can increase your chance of getting the disease.

These conditions include: elevated blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol level, menopause in women, family members who have had heart disease at a young age. If you have cardiovascular disease, your angina can be treated by treating the heart disease. Following a healthy diet and maintaining a normal weight level plus a regular exercise program can aid you in avoiding heart disease.