“If I have just one risk factor for heart disease—
say, I’m overweight or I have high blood cholesterol
—aren’t I more or less “safe”? Unfortunately, no”.1
Umbrella
What may the Heart Disease and Women’s Risk Factors Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
- Heart Conditions
- Heart Disease Risk Factors
- Heart Disease/s
Heart Disease
What is heart disease?
DotS the definition of heart disease may vary. The (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition is:
“The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack”.2
Risk Factors
What are risk factors?
DotS the definition of risk factors may vary. The (United States) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) definition is:
“Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. They can also increase the chances that an existing disease will get worse”.3
Heart Disease Risk Factors
What are heart disease risk factors we can do something about?
In Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease the NHLBI explain:
- Having high blood pressure
- Having high blood cholesterol
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- Being overweight or obese
- Diabetes and prediabetes
- Smoking
- Being physically inactive
- Having a family history of early heart disease
- Having a history of preeclampsia during pregnancy
- Unhealthy diet
- Age (55 or older for women)”.4
Age
For women, when does age become a risk factor for heart disease?
According to the NHLBI above:
- “Age (55 or older for women)”.5
In Keep Your Heart Healthy: The Basics: Overview – Am I At Risk for Heart Disease? the (United States) Healthfinder.gov note:
- You’re a woman over age 55
- You’re a man over age 45
- Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
- Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65”.6
Family History
Is there an association between family history and heart disease?
Yes. In Family History the British Heart Foundation elaborate on:
“If you have a family history of a heart or circulatory disease, you might have a higher risk of developing conditions that can lead to a heart attack or stroke”.7
Diabetes
Is there an association between diabetes and heart disease?
Yes. In Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke the (United States) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases:
“Having diabetes means you are more likely to develop heart disease. People with diabetes are also more likely to have certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, that increase their chances of having a heart attack or a stroke”.8
Menopause
Is there an association between menopause and heart disease?
Yes. The NHLBI explain:
“Heart disease increases with age, including during and after menopause. In middle age women tend to develop more risk factors for heart disease, in part due to increasing body weight and in part because their body’s production of estrogen drops. Women who go through early menopause, especially if they had a hysterectomy, are more likely to develop heart disease as women of the same age who have not yet gone through menopause”.9
In What Is Menopause: Heart Health the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health note:
“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart disease than men. However, as women age and their oestrogen levels fall, their risk of cardiovascular disease increases”.10
Risk Factors
Can risk factors “gang up”?
In Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease the NHLBI also note:
Heart Health
What can women do now for their heart health?
In Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Take Action for Your Heart Health the NHLBI also note:
- Move more
- Improve your nutrition and eat healthier
- Check your heart health stats/numbers
- Improve sleep and reduce stress
- Stop smoking
- Aim for a healthy weight”.12
Health Care Provider
What is it important for women to keep in mind about heart disease risk?
In Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – You and Your Doctor: A Heart Healthy Partnership the NHLBI remind us:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics related to Heart Disease and Women’s Risk Factors?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Health Topics A-Z
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Cardiovascular Disease and Go Red for Women
- Cardiovascular Disease and the WISEWOMAN Program
- Family Health History
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease and Menopause
- Heart Disease and Women
- Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease
- Know Your Numbers
- Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
- Metabolic Syndrome
Links
Where may I find Links related to Heart Disease and Women’s Risk Factors?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Taking It To Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease In Women
- The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks
- Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
- 4 Tips To Keep Your Heart Healthy While Working From Home
- About Heart Disease In Women
- Alcohol
- Are You At Risk of Heart Disease?
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Cardiosmart.org
- Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)
- Causes and Prevention of Heart Disease
- Change Your Numbers. Change Your Life.
- Chronic Stress Can Cause Heart Trouble
- Common Myths About Heart Disease
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Diabetes and Heart Disease
- Diabetes and Your Heart
- Doing These 8 Things May Greatly Lower Risk for Heart Disease and Stroke
- Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences – Resources and Information: Quick Links – 1. Question Prompt List
- Facts About Heart Disease In Women
- Family Health History of Heart Disease
- Family History
- February Is American Heart Month
- Fitness
- Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
- Healthy Eating To Protect Your Heart
- Healthy Lifestyle
- Healthy Living
- Heart Disease In African-American Women
- Heart Disease In Black Women: The Big Issue You Might Not Know About
- Heart Disease In Hispanic Women
- Heart Disease In Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors
- Heart Disease Risk Factors
- Heart Disease Risk Factors You Can Control: Behaviors
- Heart Disease and Women
- Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Heart Diseases – Multiply Languages
- Heart Health Information In Your Language: Smoking and Your Heart Health
- Heart Health Information In Your Language: Women and Heart Disease
- Heart Health for Women [Multiply Languages]
- Heart Health: Are You At Risk for Heart Disease? [Video]
- Heart Health: What Women Need To Know
- Heart-Healthy Living
- Heart-To-Heart: Talking To Your Doctor
- High Blood Pressure and Women
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?
- How To Make Healthy Food and Healthy Lifestyle Choices Now
- How To Prevent Heart Disease After Menopause
- Infographic: Women and Heart Disease
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life
- Know Your Risk
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
- Life’s Essential 8
Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease
- Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women
- Mayo Clinic Minute: 3 Things Women Should Know About Heart Disease [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How the Thyroid Affects the Heart [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Signs of Coronary Artery Disease, How To Reduce Your Risk [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Don’t Miss A Beat With Preventive Heart Care [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Menopause Patient Information: 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk
- Menopause and Heart Disease
- Menopause and Heart Disease
- Menopause and Your Heart
- Millionhearts.hhs.org
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know
- Prevent Heart Disease
- Preventing Cardiovascular Disease
- Quit Tobacco Today [+ Video: Meet Florence – She Can Help You Quit Tobacco!]
- Report on Latest Menopause Science Looks At Heart Risks
- Risk Checker – 5 Minute Health Questionnaire
- Risk Factors
- Risk Factors for Women
- Sleep
- Sleep Joins Revamped List of Heart Health Essentials
- Smokefreewomen [United States]
- Smoking
- Stress Management
- Stress and Heart Health
- Taking It To Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease In Women
- The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks
- The Heart Truth
- Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart
- Tips for Women To Prevent Heart Disease
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- WISEWOMAN
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
- What Is A Healthy Body Weight?
- What Is Meant By the Term Heart Age?
- Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
- Women’s Wellness: How Jobs Affect Women’s Heart Health [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Women’s Wellness: Understand Heart Disease Symptoms and Risk Factors Unique To Women
- Yourethecure.org
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Heart Disease: About Heart Disease – What Is Heart Disease? Last Reviewed: 21 March 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Keep Your Heart Healthy: The Basics: Overview – Am I At Risk for Heart Disease? Content Last Updated: 11 April 2023. Healthfinder.gov https://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/keep-your-heart-healthy Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Family History. Last Updated: December 2021. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/family-history Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke. Last Reviewed: April 2021. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/heart-disease-stroke Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Menopause and Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- What Is Menopause? The Menopause Transition – Postmenopause: Heart Health. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 27 March 2023. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease – Risk Factors for Heart Disease. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Listen To Your Heart: Learn About Heart Disease – Take Action for Your Heart Health. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/listen-to-your-heart Accessed: 22 April 2023
- Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – You and Your Doctor: A Heart Healthy Partnership. National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/heart-disease-not-just-men Accessed: 22 April 2023