Health and Wellness Tips
Preventing Heart Disease In Women
Until recently, guidelines for preventing heart disease were like the blue jeans of the 1960s. They were based on male anatomy and physiology, but were supposed to fit women as well as men. In 1998, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology decided that the unisex approach was no longer valid.
After reviewing evidence that many risk factors for heart disease—and effective approaches to reducing them—are gender specific, an expert panel convened by the groups decided to issue new guidelines for preventing heart disease in women.
Despite increasing publicity about practices that increase a woman's chance of having a heart attack, the female risk profile isn't improving. The percentage of obese women is mounting, and the proportion of those who are sedentary is growing. More than 50 % of women over 45 have high blood pressure, and approximately 40 % of women over 55 have high cholesterol. Smoking cessation rates for women are lower than for males.
The August 1999 Harvard Women's Health Watch article, "Coronary Heart Disease—New Guidelines for Prevention" also discusses the lifestyle recommendations for both healthy women and those with symptoms of coronary artery disease, as well as medical risk factors and drug treatments.
To obtain a copy of this article go to the Harvard Health Online website at www.health.harvard.edu. Click on Harvard Women's Health Watch, and then on Back Issues.
Remember, we are never to old to try and take better care of ourselves. Even if we do it slow, one change at a time, it will add up one day—and suddenly, we may just surprise ourselves and feel better, have more stamina, and actually look at life in a new refreshing way.
