| When you think of heart disease, you probably think | | | | get aggressive treatment with LDL cholesterol |
| of a risk of death for men. However, since 1984 | | | | lowering drugs. The leading cause of death for |
| more women have died from cardiovascular disease | | | | women with diabetes is cardiovascular disease. |
| than men. While more men are at a greater risk of | | | | A woman's risk of atherosclerosis rises over the age |
| having a heart attack than women, women are only | | | | of 55. Family history can be a risk factor if a woman |
| half as likely to survive a heart attack as a man. The | | | | has a brother or father diagnosed with |
| risk factors and symptoms of heart disease may be | | | | atherosclerosis before the age of 55 or if she has a |
| different for women. That's why women's health | | | | sister or mother diagnosed before the age of 65. |
| information on the topic of heart disease is so | | | | The latest women's health information shows that |
| important. | | | | obesity makes a woman much more likely to develop |
| Risks and Symptoms | | | | heart health problems. |
| For anyone, smoking is makes heart disease more | | | | Problems linked to obesity include coronary heart |
| likely. While women's health information shows that | | | | disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and heart |
| premenopausal women have some protection against | | | | disease related death. According to women's health |
| artherosclerosis because of the presence of | | | | information, metabolic syndrome is the combination |
| estrogen, that protection isn't enough to cover the | | | | of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, |
| added risk of smoking or diabetes. Atherosclerosis is | | | | pre-diabetes and high cholesterol. Metabolic syndrome |
| a condition in which blood vessels become clogged | | | | is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. |
| and narrowed because of the buildup of fatty | | | | When a woman is the strong one in the family, she |
| substances. | | | | may be less likely to complain about small aches and |
| The resulting decrease of blood flow causes the | | | | pains. This can lead to missing early signs of heart |
| symptoms of coronary heart disease. High levels of | | | | disease. According to the best women's health |
| cholesterol are a risk for heart disease. Especially bad | | | | information, silent ischemia is a result of |
| are high levels of LDL cholesterol. Diabetes is as great | | | | atherosclerosis that doesn't cause pain or any specific |
| a risk for a heart attack as heart disease is. A | | | | symptoms. |
| woman with diabetes has the same risk of heart | | | | A woman who is at risk of heart disease should have |
| attack as a woman with heart disease. | | | | an EKG to rule this out. Women need to look to |
| According to the best women's health information, | | | | women's health information to learn about their risk |
| diabetic women should manage their blood sugar and | | | | of that man's disease - cardiovascular disease. |