Heart diseases in women

Incidence of Heart diseases in women is rising due to changing lifestyle of new age women and stress at both home and office. Smoking is the major preventable risk factor for heart diseases in women.

The underlining mechanism is: (narrowing of blood vessels/Atherosclerosis)

Decrease (shrinking) in the size of coronary arteries (vessels supplying blood to the heart), thereby free flowing of the blood is affected. There is more amount of fat accumulation inside the walls of the blood vessels. The more decrease in the size of the vessels, the earlier is the heart attack.

Causative factors:

1. Age: Women of above 65 years of age are more prone to heart attacks.

2. Smoking: One of the main culprits and the dangerous factor. Nicotine in the tobacco makes the vessels to shrink in the size and decrease in inner capacity volume.

3. Excessive in taking of more fatty food materials like, non vegetarian diet, ghee, Fried foods, readymade junk foods, etc.

4. Diabetes: When it is not under control.

5. Sedentary life: Lack of exercise is more common in the present day modern life.

6. Race and genetic factors.

Some of the above factors can be avoided, like Smoking, fatty foods intake, sedentary life, diabetes, etc.

Age, genetic race factors are beyond our capacity to control them. Avoid the following risk factors, there by, the individual can be saved from heart attacks:

1. Stop smoking: In the first year itself, the risk is decreased by 50%. After 5 years of stopping of smoking, your health condition is just like the health status of “Non smokers”.

2. Avoid fatty foods: Instead take fresh fruits, vegetables and fish without frying with oil. Take fewer amounts of snacks.

3. Body weight should be under control: The BMI (Body mass index) should be between -18.5 to 24.9. The weight measurement should be 35 inches or less.

4. Avoid anxiety, stress and strain: By keeping them under control, the risk of heart attacks is decreased by 70%.

5. High B.P and Diabetes: Women having them may prone to heart attacks 3-7 times more. So it is well and good to keep them under control by following appropriate food habits, doing regular exercise and taking drugs regularly.

The signs and symptoms of heart diseases:

1. Pain or weight in the chest, and it gradually extends to upper limbs, neck, to the facial bones containing the teeth, breathing becomes difficult, tiredness and sleeplessness (especially in women).

Tests to be done: (if necessary)

Stress test, CT scan, Angiogram, Cardiac MRI, etc.

Management of the cases in women:

1. Balloon angioplasty or Stunting
2. By- pass grafting.

We can prevent more than 50% of heart diseases by changing our lifestyle and through regular screening.