Heart Disease the Number One Killer of Women

A recent study performed by the National Institutes of Health has confirmed what has been suspected for a few months now: heart disease is officially the number one killer of women in the United States.

According to the study, heart disease is now responsible for more deaths than even cancer. In fact, two in every five deaths of women in the United States is related to either heart disease or to stroke.

Traditionally, heart disease was thought of as a disease affecting more men than women. Due to this misconception, women have often ignored this potential danger. As a result, the American Heart Association is working heard to educate American women in regards to steps they can take to reduce their chances of suffering from heart disease.

There are a number of symptoms that women should watch for, all of which can be signs of a problem with the heart. These include: shortness of breath without chest pain, suddenly feeling exhausted despite a lack of activity, and pain the lower chest that is often mistaken for stomach problems.

“If you look at statistics of women who’ve died suddenly of heart attack, two-thirds died before they could reach the hospital.” - Dr. Nieca Goldberg, cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at New Your University and Medical Director of the Women’s Heart Program

All of these symptoms tend to be subtle in women. In addition, they can easily be mistaken for other problems that are not associated with the heart. As a result, women fail to realize the danger they are in. For this reason, many of the women that die from heart disease actually die before ever reaching the hospital.

In order to reduce the risk of heart disease, women need to refrain from smoking and drinking. In addition, they should watch their diets and avoid overeating. Integrating exercise into her daily routine will also reduce the chances of developing this fatal disease.