Heart-Related Questions Women Should Take Up With Their Doctors

Contrary to popular belief, women are equally prone to heart disease as men. In fact, it is the number one killer of women in the United States. Gone are those days when women overlooked the health of their ticker. Looking after their heart is the need of the hour for the female population. Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease, and women must work with their doctors to keep it at bay.

Major heart disease risk factors:

1.      High blood pressure

2.      High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol

3.      Smoking

4.      Family history

5.      Diabetes

Heart disease is said to affect women differently than their male counterparts. For example, menopausal women are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Also, women are more prone to the damaging effects of smoking than men. The fact that women are more likely to succumb to a heart attack than men can be attributed to the lack of aggressive diagnosis and treatment that females receive.

These are the questions women should raise with their doctors:

1.      How much am I at risk for heart disease? (you along with your doctor can devise a strategy to keep your risk factors in check to prevent developing heart disease)

2.      What are the signs of heart attack I should keep an eye out for, so that I can report it/take swift action at their very onset?

3.      Impact of menopause on the health of my ticker

4.      An appropriate diet plan and exercise regimen for me (tailored to my current lifestyle)

5.      What are my cholesterol levels and blood pressure? Are they in a healthy range? Steps to take if they aren’t!

6.      Is my weight in a healthy range?

7.      What is my risk for diabetes?

8.      Measures to adopt to reduce my heart disease risk basis my family history and risk factors?

9.      Is aspirin an effective measure to reduce my heart disease risk?

10.  How frequently should I get myself evaluated for risk of heart disease or related issues?

11.  Any medicines/supplements to lower my risk?

12.  Any tests to diagnose early heart disease and do you recommend any?

It is high time women took the health of their ticker into their own hands, so that unnecessary cardiac-related deaths can be completely avoided in the next decade.

Answers to the aforementioned questions will help you stay on top of your heart game thereby keeping it running smoothly for the long haul. Keep in mind that the power to keep your ticker in good shape entirely lies with you, so wield it effectively.

CPR training is for everyone, not just limited to medical professionals or those with a medical background. In fact, there are classes for kids too. After all, no one will like to be a witness to a sudden cardiac arrest claiming someone’s life. CPR classes are a training ground to deal with such emergencies efficiently. To undergo training, you can sign up for a class at the AHA certified CPR Memphis in TN. Call us at 901-438-4200. Classes take place at 8014 Club Center Drive, Suite 8, Cordova, TN 38016.