Heart disease includes a number of problems affecting the heart and the blood vessels in the heart. Types of heart disease include:
Coronary artery disease (CAD)is the most common type and is the leading cause of heart attacks. When you have CAD, your arteries become hard and narrow. Blood has a hard time getting to the heart, so the heart does not get all the blood it needs. CAD can lead to:
Angina(an-JEYE-nuh). Angina is chest pain or discomfort that happens when the heart does not get enough blood. It may feel like a pressing or squeezing pain, often in the chest, but sometimes the pain is in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It can also feel like indigestion (upset stomach). Angina is not a heart attack, but having angina means you are more likely to have a heart attack.
Heart attack. A heart attack occurs when an artery is severely or completely blocked, and the heart does not get the blood it needs for more than 20 minutes.
Heart failureoccurs when the heart is not able to pump blood through the body as well as it should. This means that other organs, which normally get blood from the heart, do not get enough blood. It does not mean that the heart stops. Signs of heart failure include:
*Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
*Swelling in feet, ankles, and legs
*Extreme tiredness
*Heart arrhythmias(uh-RITH-mee-uhz) are changes in the beat of the heart. Most people have felt dizzy, faint, out of breath or had chest pains at one time. These changes in heartbeat are harmless for most people. As you get older, you are more likely to have arrhythmias. Don't panic if you have a few flutters or if your heart races once in a while. If you have flutters and other symptoms such as dizziness or shortness of breath, call 911 right away.
Why women need to be concerned:
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women, but as a woman, even if you know that, you’re probably too busy most days to think about it. But you should think about it, because what you do each day in part determines your risk for developing cardiovascular disease and suffering its life-threatening consequences. Cardiovascular disease develops over time, affecting your body in ways you might not notice until it’s too late.
Statistics:
* More common than you may think
* More than 42 million women are currently living with some form of cardiovascular disease.
*More than 8 million women have a history of heart attack and/or angina.
*Five and a half million women will suffer angina.
* Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women over age 25, killing more than a third of them.
* 35.3% of deaths in American women over the age of 20, or more than 432,000, are caused by cardiovascular disease each year.
* More than 200,000 women die each year from heart attacks- five times as many women as breast cancer.
* More than 159,000 women die each year of congestive heart failure, accounting for 56.3% of all heart failure deaths.
How is Heart Disease Diagnosed?
Your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms, medical history and risk factors, and perform a physical exam.
Diagnostic tests, including blood tests, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), cardiac catheterization and others may be performed to evaluate your condition. An exercise stress test, combined with heart imaging technology such as stress echocardiography or nuclear imaging, can help provide a more complete and accurate picture of a woman’s heart health. These tests help your doctor evaluate the extent of your heart disease, its effect on the function of your heart, and the best form of treatment for you.
Research into new testing procedures, such as coronary computed tomography angiogram (CTA), may change the way coronary artery disease is diagnosed in the future.
Tests used to predict increased risk for coronary artery disease include: C-reactive protein (CRP), complete lipid profile, and calcium score screening heart scan.
Heart Disease and PCOS:
A new study presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology shows that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) show higher levels of blood markers associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) than control groups. These markers show up during a woman's earlier life, but might indicate a greater CVD risk in later life. This means that women with raised levels of these markers will, in later years, tend to have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease than is found in the general population.
According to Dr. Konstantinos Toulis:
"This analysis shows that increased levels of risk markers for cardiovascular disease are firmly associated with PCOS. PCOS is a difficult condition to study, because the range and severity of symptoms vary so much that it has been difficult to draw conclusions. Recently an expert panel1 reviewed the evidence and concluded that women with PCOS did seem to have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in later life. This meta-analysis of biochemical markers shows that the CVD risk factors are present in earlier life, and that they seem to be independent of other factors which can lead to cardiovascular disease in later life, such as obesity. The association between CVD risk and CVD markers depends on the nature of the individual marker and the magnitude of the difference; this, plus the fact that there are several of these biochemical markers raised, is what makes this a potential warning."
In addition to this study, women with PCOS are often diagnosed with conditions that increase their predisposition for heart disease. High blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia), obesity, excess production of male hormones (hyperandrogenism), metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes all dramatically increase a woman's chances of developing heart disease. Women with PCOS who are prescribed oral contraceptives as a form of cycle regulation are also at a higher risk of having a heart attack and developing heart disease.
What can be done?
Coordinating with your health care provider to begin to manage your PCOS symptoms is critical to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Know your blood pressure. Years of high blood pressure can lead to heart disease. People with high blood pressure often have no symptoms, so have your blood pressure checked every 1 to 2 years and get treatment if you need it.
Don't smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. If you're having trouble quitting, there are products and programs that can help:
Nicotine patches and gums
Support groups
Programs to help you stop smoking
Ask your doctor or nurse for help.
Get tested for diabetes. People with diabetes have high blood glucose (often called blood sugar). People with high blood glucose often have no symptoms, so have your blood glucose checked regularly. Having diabetes raises your chances of getting heart disease. If you have diabetes, your doctor will decide if you need diabetes pills or insulin shots. Your doctor can also help you make a healthy eating and exercise plan.
Get your cholesterol and triglyceride levels tested. High blood cholesterol (koh-LESS-tur-ol) can clog your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. This can cause a heart attack. Triglycerides (treye-GLIH-suh-ryds) are a form of fat in your blood stream. High levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease in some people. People with high blood cholesterol or high blood triglycerides often have no symptoms, so have both levels checked regularly. If your levels are high, talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower them. You may be able to lower your both levels by eating better and exercising more. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower your cholesterol.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight raises your risk for heart disease. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to see if you are at a healthy weight. Healthy food choices and physical activity are important to staying at a healthy weight:
Start by adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet.
Each week, aim to get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink (one 12 ounce beer, one 5 ounce glass of wine, or one 1.5 ounce shot of hard liquor) a day.
Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Lower your stress level by talking to your friends, exercising, or writing in a journal.
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