• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States
• 1 in 5 women will die from cardiovascular disease
• A recent national survey from the American Heart Association found that despite the potential risks, some women are not able to recognize signs such as heart attack, stroke, or heart attack. stroke or some other cardiovascular risk.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. But if you ask the majority of women in the US, a surprising number don’t know that fact, according to the latest research.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 people will die from cardiovascular disease.

A national study published this week in the journal Circulation from the American Heart Association found that despite the potential risks, many women are still unaware of the signs of a heart attack. heart and stroke or some other cardiovascular disease

Between 2009 and 2019, understanding of cardiovascular diseases (the leading cause of death in women) fell from 65% to 44%.

The understanding of the following is also greatly reduced: warning signs of a heart attack and stroke, first treatment when a person has a heart attack or stroke, cardiovascular diseases and risk factors for stroke.

Some things women should know

Low literacy was observed in all ages of women, except those older than 65, and in all races and ethnic groups.

“It’s sad to know that younger women in 2019 compared to 2009 are less likely to practice a heart-healthy lifestyle,“Dr. Eugenia Gianos, director of Cardiovascular Health in Women at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York. “This, together with a poor understanding of heart disease, may explain the increase in the number of deaths among young women.”

However, this lack of awareness is more common among women under the age of 34 and in non-Hispanic and Hispanic black populations. According to the CDC, black women compared to white women account for about 60 percent of heart attacks.

When women have a heart attack, they may have some different symptoms than men. Although chest pain is a fairly common symptom, they also have a few symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or nausea.

Some other symptoms may include:

• Pain or discomfort in the back, jaw, abdomen or upper extremities
• Cold sweat
• Shortness of breath with or without chest pain
• Vomit
• Chest pain

The importance of education

Studies show there is a lack of awareness among women under the age of 34, non-Hispanic black women, and Hispanic women.

These studies highlight educational disparities across socioeconomic communities.

The latest report says,“In 2009, women at high risk of cardiovascular events (stroke or infarction) had higher cognitive levels than those without these conditions, which was not found in 2019.”

The report also found that people with diabetes often lack understanding of the telltale signs of cardiovascular disease even though they are at higher risk.

In addition, women with hypertension were 30% less knowledgeable than those without.

“Although disparities still exist in the level of awareness that cardiovascular disease is the leading risk factor for death among women, the valuable lesson here is that universal education needs to be emphasized. “according to Gianos.” The results of this study shed light on the urgent need for increased research funding dedicated to the education, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in women.”

“It doesn’t just bring the message to the media,” Dr. Nieca Goldberg, cardiologist and medical director of the Women’s Cardiology Program at NYU Langone Health. “We have to connect with people who are potentially at risk. We also need to diversify our approaches to ensure that every woman is considered.”

“It’s a sad thing,” she speaks.“I am still doing this work. We don’t make a big change. But I think the good message here is, “It’s never too young to recognize cardiovascular risks and start preventing them.”

Causes of cardiovascular diseases in women

Some of the cardiovascular risk factors in women include:

• Hypertension
• Increase cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoke
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Fat
• Family history

However, even if some people don’t have risk factors, there are steps we can take to ensure they are leading a healthy lifestyle.

“We need a united health community to show that it’s not just these risk factors, but other risk factors as well,” he said. Goldberg said.“Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, increase the risk of having a heart attack. The same is true for pregnant women with associated factors. We need health professionals from many different disciplines, not just cardiologists, to work together to reach people of all ages with potential risk factors.”

Fortunately, women can still be active in reducing their cardiovascular risk. Those measures include:

• Eat healthy, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and limit saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.
• Quit smoking.
• Drink alcohol in moderation.
• Stress management.
• Do exercise
• Know your family history
• Recognizing ABCS in Cardiovascular Health:
• Use a reasonable amount of aspirin
• Control blood pressure
• Control cholesterol
• Quit smoking

“It’s a community effort,” according to Goldberg. “We need to find the best way for all women to get access to these messages. When a basic national effort doesn’t reach everyone. That means we need to come up with a different strategy.”

References

Written by Megan Drillinger on September 23, 2020 — Fact checked by Dana K. Cassell

Self-translated article by Ykhoa.org, please do not reup.

Source: Healthline

Link: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heart-disease-is-the-top-cause-of-death-in-women-but-few-know-warning-signs

Author: Kha Nguyen