Have you had a fluttering feeling in your chest before or do you remember a family member suffering from heart problems?
Both irregular heartbeat symptoms and family history can put women at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and it can affect women at any age, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
John Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Sabra Lewsey outlined the main causes of heart disease in women and how to reduce your own risk of developing heart disease for the university’s “A Women’s Journey” health series.
During the health programming webcast, Lewsey said that 80-90% of cardiovascular disease is preventable: “This is something that gives me great joy as a heart failure physician,” Lewsey said.
Her first tip is “you have to know your numbers,” specifically monitoring your blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and weight, or body mass index.
Lewsey said you should be monitoring these numbers with your doctor and discussing how to lower the risk of some of these heart disease factors, such as modifying cholesterol levels with “our diet and our activity level.”
Another tip is to pay attention to your heartbeat and “know your rhythm.”
“Fluttering, palpitations, shortness of breath, lightheadedness” are all symptoms that could mean you are at risk of atrial fibrillation, which is when your heartbeat is out of rhythm, Lewsey explained.
“Sometimes these symptoms are waxing and waning, sometimes they are not noticeable at all,” she said.
If you ever experience symptoms, you should get a heart exam and electrocardiogram test to see if you are at risk for a stroke, plus ask a doctor about preventive measures you can take, such as blood thinners.
Lewsey also advised women to know their family history and seek genetic testing if a family member has suffered from heart disease.
Lewsey’s final tips were to work with all the doctors that treat you to collaborate on assessing your heart disease risk across your life span. For example, women with hypertensive disorders during their pregnancies are at a much higher risk of heart disease later in life, so it’s important that your OB-GYN is communicating with your cardiovascular and primary care doctors.
Keeping track of your health measurements, living a healthy lifestyle and making sure your doctors are communicating about your heart health can all aid in preventing serious heart diseases.
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