Heart Disease and Women
Dateline: 9/21/98Death of an Athlete
Shocking and sad news for the world today and for women everywhere comes with the announcement of the death of Olympic athlete Florence Griffith Joyner. The 38 year old winner of three gold medals during the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea died of what was described by her husband as "apparent heart seizure." The sudden death of this obviously in-shape athlete proves that no one is immune from the effects of heart disease.Heart disease which is the number one cause of death in American women claimed the lives of more than 500,000 women in 1994, the last year for which statistics are available, and accounted for 45.2% of all deaths in women that year. The sad fact for African-American women, like Ms. Joyner, is that the death rate from cardiovascular disease is 69% higher in black women than white women.
Women often deceive themselves by believing that breast cancer is the disease that they should fear most, but the facts are that an estimated one out of two women will eventually die of heart related diseases while the rate of death from breast cancer equals one out of twenty-five.
What Are Your Risk Factors?
Major risk factors for coronary heart disease in women include cigarette smoking, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits. While we can try to live a healthy lifestyle and implement healthy habits, we can see through the death of Ms. Joyner that other factors including genetics and racial differences may play a key role in determining who will be caught by this deadly disease.
What Can You Do to Reduce Your Risks?
Although we know that Florence Griffith Joyner was physically fit, we can still lower our risks by maintaining a regular schedule of physical activity. Exercise recommendations for average women include thirty minutes a day of aerobic activity which can be as simple as brisk walking three to five times a week; even more benefits can be achieved by exercising longer and more often. Earlier this year we learned that regular exercise may prevent up to 50% of all cancers.If you smoke--quit! Of course it won't be easy, but if you need some help The Mining Co. Quitting Smoking Guide Christine H. Rowley offers support and information to help you achieve your goal for a healthier and longer life.
Nutrition is also a key factor in the development of heart disease. A heart-healthy diet is one that is low in fat (20-30% of your daily calories) and includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables with a minimum of red meat (most of us eat far to much meat- a healthy serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards). Losing weight if you are overweight will lower your risk of future heart disease as well as many other conditions including some types of cancer.
What Are the Symptoms of a Heart Attack?
Since we can safely assume that Ms. Joyner was routinely following the recommendations for a healthy lifestyle it is imperative that women recognize the symptoms of a heart attact so that treatment can begin immediately.General symptoms that are indicative of a heart attack include:
- Pressure, fullness, or squeezing pain in the center of your
chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and
then returns
- Pain that extends to the shoulders, neck, or arms
- Chest discomfort accompanied by dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath
Women should pay particular attention to the following symptoms which often occur prior to heart attacks in women:
- Unusual pain in the chest, stomach, or abdomen
- Nausea or dizziness
- Shortness of breath and breathing difficulties
- Unusual anxiety, loss of strength, or fatigue
- Heart palpitations, cold sweat, or a pale appearance
If you experience any of these symptoms--see your physician immediately! Remember, timing of the beginning of treatment is crucial in surviving a heart attact.
If there is a lesson to be learned from the untimely death of Florence Griffith Joyner it is thatyou are never too young to be taken down by heart disease.
Goodbye FloJo, we will miss your courage and winning smile.
More About Heart Disease
