Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States – about 1 in every 4.

Although this statistic shouldn’t shock most women, it usually does. That’s because most women, more than half, don’t realize this scary truth. More women die each year in the US from heart disease than all the cancers combined. Many women think of heart disease as a “man’s disease” even though about the same number of women and men are claimed by it every year. And about 64% of women who die suddenly from a heart attack showed no previous symptoms.

Awareness of the severity of this epidemic has to change for lives to be saved. Knowledge is power and knowing the risk factors and symptoms is key.

Risk factors include:

• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Family History
• Smoking
• Stress

Controlling these risk factors often means hard changes in lifestyle and diet but surely they are better than any of the results of a heart attack or stroke.

Paying attention to symptoms is another important step. As women, we are often likely to disregard or minimize symptoms, but this is our body’s way of trying to tell us to get some help. And although women often experience chest pain, other symptoms for women are easy to overlook.

Symptoms include:

• Extreme Fatigue
• Jaw, neck and shoulder pain
• Lightheadedness and clamminess
• Nausea and indigestion

You know your body ladies. Pay attention and listen to what it is trying to tell you. We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of anyone else. Women can be a powerful force to reckon with especially when they get behind a cause, so we need to encourage each other to learn as much as we can, educate others, and make changes.

For more information about heart disease in women visit:

https://www.goredforwomen.org/home/about-heart-disease-in-women/

http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_women_heart.htm