Healthy Women Healthy Hearts Dr. Andrea McCrink, EdD., WHNPBC Dr. Helen C. Ballestas, PhD, RN, CRRN

1
Healthy Women Healthy HeartsDr. Andrea McCrink,
EdD., WHNP-BCDr. Helen C. Ballestas, PhD, RN,
CRRN

• February 5, 2009

2
Statistics

• 80,700,000 American adults have cardiovascular
  disease
• One of every three (13) females have
  cardiovascular disease
• In 2004 Cardiovascular disease caused one death
  per minute among females
• In 2004 460,000 females lost their lives to
  cardiovascular disease
• 49 of Black/African-Americans females have
  cardiovascular disease
• 35 of non-Hispanic females have cardiovascular
  disease
• 34.4 of Mexican-American females have
  cardiovascular
• Source Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics
  2008 Update American Heart Association

3
The Gender Gap of Heart Disease
4
Heart Attack

• Occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an
  area of heart muscle is blocked, many times this
  blockage occurs because of a clot.
• This leads to tissue death
• If an abnormal heart rhythm develops because of
  this injury, lethal arrhythmias may occur that
  may cause sudden death.

5
Know your risk for an heart attack

• These risks are non-modifiable
• Women age over 55
• Family history heart disease diagnosed in mother
  or sister before age 65
• Health history angina, previous heart attack, or
  having a surgical procedure to increase blood flow

6
Know your risk for an heart attack

• These risks are modifiable
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Overweight /obesity
• Being physically inactive
• Diabetes

7
Warning Signs of Heart Attack

• Symptoms of a Heart Attack
• The five major symptoms of a heart attack are
• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
• Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder.
• Shortness of breath.

If you think that you or someone you know is
having a heart attack, you should call 911
immediately.
8
Signs Symptoms

• Classic Symptoms
• Squeezing chest pain or pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Tightness in chest
• Pain spreading to shoulders, neck or arm
• Feeling of heartburn/indigestion with or without
  nausea/vomiting
• Sudden dizziness or brief loss of consciousness

• Symptoms of Women
• Indigestion or gas-like pain
• Dizziness, nausea, fatigue
• Unexplained weakness, fatigue
• Discomfort/pain between shoulder blades
• Recurring chest discomfort
• Sense of impending doom

9
Coronary Heart Disease

• Hardening and narrowing of arteries that supply
  blood to the heart.
• Common in men and women.
• Other names coronary artery disease, heart
  disease, ischemic heart disease

10
Know your risk for an CAD

• These risks are non-modifiable
• Advancing age
• Women risk increases after age 55
• Family history heart disease diagnosed before
  age 65 in mother or sister

11
Know your risk for an CAD

• These risks are modifiable
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Lack of physical activity

12
Signs and Symptoms of CAD

• Chest pain or chest discomfort (angina)
• Pain in one or both arms, the left shoulder,
  neck, jaw or back
• Shortness of breath
• Sometimes the very first symptom is the heart
  attack

13
So..How do we live and age well heart wise?

• First, assess your own risk of heart disease
• Heart disease risk assessment tool on the
  Framingham Risk Model at http//hp2010.nhlbihin.ne
  t/atpiii/calculator.asp

14

• Smoking cessation since women who smoke are two
  to six times more likely to suffer a heart
  attach.
• Quit smoking so you can
• Reduce your chances of having a heart attack or
  stroke
• Reduce your chances of getting lung cancer,
  emphysema other lung diseases.
• Have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home
  and car.
• Climb stairs and walk without getting out of
  breath.
• Be free of morning cough.
• Have control over your life.
• Single most powerful lifestyle modification

15

• Know your Blood Pressure
• Every health care visit
• At a minimum, every year for women over age 20 if
  you have risk factors
• Optimal Blood Pressure
• Less than 120/80mm hg
• Pre-hypertension
• Between 120/80 and 139/89 mmHg
• Hypertension
• 140/90 mmHg or higher
• Lower your Blood Pressure
• Weight loss
• Regular physical exercise
• Variety of fresh fruits vegetables and low fat
  dairy products
• Reduce alcohol, fat and salt or sodium.

16

• Know your cholesterol levels
• Starting at age 20, every 5 years
• Optimal cholesterol levels
• Total cholesterol
• HDL cholesterol 60 mg/dL
• LDL cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Lower your cholesterol levels
• Cutting back on foods high in saturated fat and
  cholesterol
• Exercise
• Cholesterol lowering diets at
• American Heart Association
• National Cholesterol Education Program

17

• Monitor your weight and BMI
• Lose weight
• Diet of low calorie foods in moderate amounts
• Ideal BMI
• Between 18.5 and 24.9
• Exercise
• Regular, brisk physical activity 30 minutes a day
• Apple-shaped women with extra fat at the
  waistline may have a higher risk than
  Pear-shaped women with heavy hips and thighs.
• Waist circumference less than 35 inches

18

• Eat well and heart healthy
• Consume a variety of foods and beverages from the
  basic food groups that provide key nutrients.
• Diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and
  fiber
• Whole grains at least 6 servings/day
• Fiber 25-30g/day
• Fruit/veggies at least 5 servings/day
• Oily fish at least twice a week
• Saturated/trans fat
• Reduce your salt/sodium intake
• One added tsp. per day

19

• Decrease Stress
• Connection between stress and heart disease
• Some coping mechanisms such as overeating, heavy
  drinking and smoking clearly are bad for your
  heart.
• Regular exercise decreases stress
• Naps 3 x week x 30 minutes
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Take Care of Yourself
• One extra hour of sleep a day appears to lower
  the risk of developing calcium deposits in the
  arteries

20

• Research on Heart Disease Prevention
• Alcohol Use
• Moderate drinkers, for women one drink per day,
  appear less likely to develop heart disease than
  people who do not drink alcohol
• Aspirin
• Women who took a low dose aspirin regularly were
  less likely to suffer a fist heart attach women
  over age 50 appeared to benefit most
• Folic Acid
• AHA new guidelines recommend women at high risk
  for heart disease supplement with folic acid
  daily.
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Consuming fish and fish oil supplements can lower
  risk of heart disease and death from heart
  disease.
• Two servings of fatty fish (tuna, salmon) per
  week
• Supplement of 850 1000 mg of EPA and DHA

21
The Moving Target of Estrogen and Cardiovascular
Disease

• Womens Health Initiative
• (1991 Summer of 2002)
• Now Risks and Benefits of Hormone Therapy
• Formulation
• Dosage
• Route of Administration
• Time elapsed since menopause
• Age at initiation of therapy
• Duration of therapy

22
(No Transcript)