February is Heart Awareness Month. Heart disease causes more deaths in Americans than any other disease and women are especially at a great risk, but unfortunately do not always receive the urgency in detection that they should have. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women and men living in the U.S. It kills more American women than all forms of cancer combined, including breast cancer, and 1/3 of women fail to recognize their own risk for heart disease.
Close the Gap is an educational initiative from Boston Scientific focusing on community education, patient values and quality measures, and through this program I had an opportunity to interview Dr. Gioia Turitto, champion for women’s heart health.
Dr. Gioia Turitto, MD, is Chief of Electrophysiology at New York Methodist Hospital-Cornell Heart Center. As one of the few women practicing invasive cardiology, she is committed to ensuring that women get the CV treatment they need and deserve through spearheading physician & community educational events. She is a member of several organizations, including the American College of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, and American Medical Association. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has been actively involved in several landmark arrhythmia trials, including SCD-HeFT, a trial of primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, and AFFIRM, a study of rate versus rhythm control management of atrial fibrillation.
It is important for women to know that heart disease kills more American women than all forms of cancer combined, including breast cancer according to the American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2009 update. And a woman’s lifetime risk for developing heart disease is very high – more than 1 in 2. And as you age your risk for heart disease increases. Please note: this information below is not a substitute for medical care. As always, you should consult your doctor or healthcare provider.
For more information, go to www.your-heart-health.com.
1. What are some risk factors for heart disease women need to be aware of?
- It is important for many women if color, including black, Latino and Native American women that they are more likely to develop risk factors and are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, yet they are less likely to recognize their risks. Many different risk factors (conditions or lifestyle habits) can affect your chance of developing heart disease. Some risk factors you can control and some of the risk factors you can’t. To begin, let’s consider some of the risk factors you can’t control, those include:
- Increasing age: women that are post-menopausal or over age 55 are at higher risk
- Heredity (including race): if someone in your immediate family has a history of heart disease or diabetes it puts you at greater risk, And if you are black, Latino or Native America you are also at higher risk.
For those that you can control – it would include:
- Do you have diabetes? Are you a smoker? What are your numbers: do you have high blood pressure (140/90 or higher), high cholesterol (over 200) or are obese (if you are 30 pounds or more overweight) and are you generally inactive (if you exercise less than 3 times a week)? All of these risk factors increase your likelihood of heart disease.
2. What can women at risk of heart disease do to minimize that risk?
- You must take charge of your heart health and the risk factors you can control. Some things to consider include:
- Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. People who smoke are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smokers. If you smoke, QUIT.
- Aim for a healthy weight: If you don’t know your ideal weight, ask your doctor. The more overweight you are the higher your risk for heart disease.
- Get moving: Make a commitment to be more physically active. Every day, aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity such as taking a brisk walk, raking, dancing, light weight lifting, house cleaning or gardening.
- Eat for heart health: choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and cholesterol. Be sure to include whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
- Know your numbers: ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.
3. Why should women at low risk be concerned about heart disease as well?
- It is important for women to be concerned about heart health as research shows that women who have a general awareness about heart disease are more likely to have a positive impact on their family’s health, as well as their own health.
4. How can women make heart healthy lifestyle choices?
- It is imperative for women to take charge of their heart health by taking the time to make healthy lifestyle choices – diet and exercise must be a priority to reduce controllable risk factors.
5. How can women help encourage their families to make heart healthy choices too?
- We know that women are typically the decision makers when it comes to their families’ health and healthcare. It is important for women to serve as the role models for the type of health they also seek for their families. Engaging in exercise, making healthy diet choices are great ways to start modeling heart healthy behavior for their loved ones.
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