Heart disease and women's health

So, you think breast cancer is the biggest threat to women’s health?

“Women are 10 times more likely to die from heart disease than from breast cancer,” according to Tania Nanevicz, M.D., Mills-Peninsula cardiologist. “Heart disease claims the lives of 500,000 women each year. Eighty-three percent of women are at risk because they have one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors.”

Heart disease affects 1 in 2 women nationwide and is the second leading cause of death in San Mateo County, she said.

Even more disturbing, the condition is more often fatal in women than in men and more likely to leave women severely disabled by stroke or congestive heart failure.

A stroke occurs when blood vessels that supply oxygen to the brain either burst or are blocked by clots, which often start in the heart. More women than men die of stroke (60 percent of women, 40 percent of men), though more men have strokes.

“Women need to realize heart disease is largely preventable,” she said. “When you quit smoking, eat right, exercise, manage stress and blood pressure, you can safeguard your heart health for the rest of your life.”

According to the Surgeon General’s 2001 report on Women and Smoking, one to two years after women quit, risk for heart disease is substantially reduced. More risk reduction occurs 10–15 years after quitting.

“If you’re trying to quit, keep trying,” Dr. Nanevicz said. “The reward is a better quality of life, not to mention saving money that can be better spent on a health club membership, for example.”
About 30 percent of heart attacks in women are attributable to being overweight or obese. Daily exercise is absolutely essential. “Hiking, running or walking — it’s up to you as long as you do it vigorously,” the cardiologist said.

Try to walk 10,000 steps a day. Most office jockeys log only a fraction of that. A person who takes only 1,000 – 3,000 steps per day, or about one mile, is getting no benefit, she said.

“Choose to move. Get out the gym clothes and break a sweat three or four times a week for 30 minutes at a time.”

Daily exercise is good for the heart and significantly reduces stress, which also can help keep blood pressure under control.

“Women also must watch for prehypertension, also known as high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease,” Dr. Nanevicz said.

Because new studies show the risk of heart disease and stroke begins to increase earlier than previously thought, health experts lowered the acceptable normal range to promote more aggressive and earlier treatment of high blood pressure.

New, more aggressive high blood pressure guidelines have moved millions of people whose blood pressure was previously considered borderline high (130-139/85-89) or normal (120/80) into the prehypertension range.

What your blood pressure means