The Women's Heart Program was developed to better serve women with heart disease. There are many ways women can participate in their care to prevent cardiovascular disease in the future. "Cardiovascular" is the term used to describe the heart and the circulation system in your entire body. The goal of the Women's Heart Institute is not only to treat women with heart disease, but also to educate women in the community about the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is important that healthcare providers and women understand the risk for heart disease and aggressively treat risk factors.

There are several risk factors for heart disease in women. Risks include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, lack of exercise and poor nutrition.

Smoking
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of heart disease in women. In middle-aged women, more than 50% of heart attacks are associated with cigarette smoking. Smoking increases risk of heart disease by two-to-four times for both women and men. Unfortunately, smoking appears to be on the rise with young women.

High Blood Pressure
Studies show that high blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease in women and men. Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries, which are the vessels that carry blood from the heart to all parts of your body.

High blood pressure is a common problem in the United States. About 60% of white women and 79% of African-American women have high blood pressure. Studies have shown that only a small percentage of people who have high blood pressure have it under control with medication. It is very important for women to work closely with their health care provider to control their blood pressure.

High Cholesterol
Increased total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) are risk factors for heart disease and stroke in both men and women. A low level of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in women can be a strong predictor of heart disease.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance in your blood stream and cells. Your body uses cholesterol to form cell membranes and certain hormones among other things. There are two types of cholesterol – the LDL, or bad cholesterol, and the HDL, or good cholesterol.

Studies show that women who already have heart disease benefit from cholesterol-lowering medication and lifestyle changes.

Obesity and a Sedentary Lifestyle
Obesity and sedentary lifestyles contribute to an increased risk for coronary heart disease. Thirty-four million adult women are considered obese. That is about one-third of adult women. About 60 percent of adult men and women do not participate in any regular exercise. A recent study demonstrated that walking at a brisk pace for at least three hours a week reduces the risk of heart disease by 30-40 percent. Regular exercise can also help control lipid (fat) levels, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and reduce the risk of osteoporosis (bone loss).

Diabetes
Diabetes can increase a woman’s risk for heart disease by three to seven times. In comparison, diabetes doubles a man’s risk for heart disease. Doctors are unsure what causes diabetes to affect women more than men. It may be due to the bad effect diabetes has on a woman's lipids (fat in the bloodstream) and blood pressure. It is important for women with diabetes to keep their blood sugar as close to normal as possible to lower their risk for heart disease.

Diet
In the past few years, there has been more research on how nutrition affects heart disease. The evidence is very clear. Diets that are low in saturated fat, high in fruits, fiber, whole grains and vegetables lower the risk of heart disease. Unfortunately this is not the typical American diet. Changing diet is difficult but important in reducing risk for heart disease.

Hormone Replacement
At the moment, it is not known if estrogen replacement helps prevent coronary artery disease. Cardiologists are not recommending hormone replacement strictly for the prevention of heart disease. At this point, if a woman is on hormone replacement and doing well, there is no reason to stop her therapy from a cardiovascular standpoint. There are many other reasons to take hormone replacement. If you have questions about hormone replacement you should discuss them with your doctor.