Here are some facts about women and heart disease how to prevent a heart attack Prevent a Heart Attack

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	Prevent a Heart Attack It has been predicted that in this decade, one in three women will get a heart disease. Here are...

As a woman, you might think that the scariest thing that might happen to you is breast cancer or cervical cancer. But “in reality, heart disease kills women more than any other disease,” says leading cardiologist Dr Ramakant Panda. It comes as a surprise to most as it is thought to be more a man’s disease. But women are as much at risk of heart disease as men.

“Women are protected by hormones till they reach menopause,” Dr Panda goes on to say. Estrogen makes our arteries stronger. However, lifestyle changes might overpower the protection it offers. Risk factors include smoking, erratic working hours and obesity. Statistics say that in the next ten years, one out every three women will get a heart disease.

“Women are at a higher risk of dying within the first year of having an attack than men,” he adds. The possible reason for this according to him is that since women tend to get heart disease later in life, they may have other co-existing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

Here are some facts about women and heart disease:

* Women who smoke are at a risk of having a heart attack 19 years earlier than non-smokers.

* Women with diabetes are at a higher risk of heart attacks.

* Women are almost twice as likely as men to die after by-pass surgery.

* Women often do not have the typical symptoms of angina (chest pain radiating to the arms) or other symptoms associated with a heart attack. That’s why they are often not diagnosed correctly and in time.

The good news is that it can be prevented simply by following a healthier lifestyle, since women’s hearts respond better to them. Here are a few pointers from Dr Panda:

* Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

* Cut out the extra salt in your food in the form of junk and processed foods. Cut down on sugar too.

* Substitute all high-fat foods with low fat ones.

* Don’t follow fad diets. Instead, eat sensibly.

* If you must drink, limit yourself to one a day and quit smoking.

* Walk for your heart or take the stairs. Get 30 minutes of any form of cardio everyday.
* Get yourself regularly checked for blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. It will tell you if you are at risk.

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A healthy lifestyle is very important. It goes a long way in protecting you from not just heat disease but lot of other lifestyle conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis. So start taking care today!