INTRODUCTION: Heart disease is a number of abnormal conditions affecting the heart and its blood vessels. Also called cardiovascular disease, it mainly affects older people and indicates that there are problems with the heart and blood vessels.

It has become the leading cause of death in the United States, is a major cause of disability, doesn’t go away, but by working with your doctor, you can live longer and feel better. Types of cardiovascular disease include: Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type and is the leading cause of heart attacks.

In 2003, almost twice as many females died of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) than from all cancers put together. The older she gets, the more likely she is to have cardiovascular disease; however women of all ages should be concerned.

African American and Hispanic American/Latina females are more prone to get heart disease because they tend to have a greater number of risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes than White females. Women of color are also more likely to die of the disease.

Having diabetes raises your chances of getting heart disease and high levels of triglycerides are linked to the disease in some people. Also Being overweight increases your risk. Chest or arm pain or discomfort can be a symptom of cardiovascular disease and a warning sign of an actual or impending heart attack.

If your dad or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother had one before age 65, you’re more likely to eventually have heart disease. Birth control pills can pose risks for some women, especially women over the age of 35, women with high blood pressure, diabetes, or elevated cholesterol and women who smoke.

Close to 700,000 people die of heart disease in the USA each year. You can find out more about heart disease by phoning the National Women’s Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662.

The risk of coronary disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control those factors that put people at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack. The very best ways to prevent heart disease are to control high blood pressure, diabetes or a high cholesterol level and, if you smoke, STOP SMOKING.

CHOLESTEROL: What does high cholesterol have to do with heart disease? Cholesterol can clog your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. People with high blood cholesterol or high blood triglycerides often have no symptoms, so have your blood cholesterol and triglyceride 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 levels by eating better and exercising more, if not, your doctor may prescribe medication to lower and bring it under control.

When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries, forming plaque and causing blood clots. There are basically two types of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is often called the “bad” type because it can clog the arteries that carry blood to your heart. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the “good” type because it takes the bad cholesterol out of your blood and keeps it from building up in your arteries.

All females age 20 and older should have their blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked at least once every 5 ys. If you are overweight, reducing your weight can help decrease your total cholesterol as well as LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels.

Attempt to eat more meals low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Skim (fat-free) or low-fat (1%) milk and cheeses, and low-fat or nonfat yogurt, Fruits and vegetables (go for for 5 a day), Cereals, breads, rice, and pasta produced from whole grains (such as “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” bread and pasta, rye bread, brown rice, and oatmeal), Eat lesser amounts of organ meats (liver, kidney, brains), Egg yolks, Fats (butter, lard) and oils, Packaged and processed foods.

There are 2 diets that may help reduce your cholesterol: Heart Healthy Diet and Therapeutic Lifestyles Changes (TLC) Diet. Exercise can help reduce LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and raise HDL (“good cholesterol”). If your MD has prescribed medicine to reduce your cholesterol, take it exactly as you have been told to.

CONCLUSION: Heart disease is not contagious – you can’t get it like you can the flu or a cold. It is a general term that refers to a variety of acute and chronic medical diseases that affect one or more of the components of the heart. The signs you describe to your physician will help to decide if you need to be tested for heart disease. Your physician will also check if you have any conditions that can increase your chance of developing the disease.

These conditions include: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, elevated cholesterol level, menopause in women, family members who have had heart disease at a young age. If you have cardiovascular disease, your angina can be treated by treating the heart disease. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight in addition to a regular exercise program can help you avoid developing heart disease.