A Mayo Clinic doctor has recently emphasized the importance of prevention and awareness in managing heart disease symptoms and risk factors for women.
"Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously", said Chatura Alur, according to Mayo Clinic News Network. "Many women tend to downplay their symptoms and not seek care until heart damage has already occurred and an emergency room visit becomes necessary. We want women to understand the importance of listening to their bodies, understanding what feels normal to them, and seeking care before symptoms become severe."
The observance of Heart Month in February presents an opportune time for women to familiarize themselves with the indicators and risk factors of heart disease. Chatura Alur, MD and family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, highlighted the need to first understand the risk factors that could lead to heart disease, then adopt measures to mitigate these risks. "Some factors play a more significant role in the development of heart disease in women than what are considered the traditional risks, such as high cholesterol, obesity and high blood pressure," she stated in a news release from Mayo Clinic.
Alur further pointed out that risk factors and symptoms can differ between men and women. Women are more likely to experience symptoms like sweating, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness during a heart attack while men may exhibit more common symptoms like chest pain.
Despite preventive measures, heart disease cannot be entirely avoided. Family history can significantly influence a woman's risk for heart disease. However, Alur suggests that addressing some preventable risk factors can help reduce this risk. These include avoiding smoking and a sedentary lifestyle, managing diabetes, stress and depression.
According to data from the American Heart Association (AHA), 64% of women who died suddenly from heart disease reported no prior symptoms. This underscores the importance of understanding these risk factors as symptoms can sometimes be difficult to identify. For instance, combining birth control pills with smoking can increase young women's risk of heart disease by 20%, according to AHA. Regular monitoring of aspects such as cholesterol levels can aid early identification and treatment of heart disease.
