Exam 3 Women's Health Issues

Cardiovascular Disease

Covers entire cardiovascular system (heart, brain, vessels, valves, nerves, etc.).

Differences Amongst Men and Women

One of the differences we see among men and women when it comes to heart disease is that men have tighter and more explosive vessels; women have more nice and neat vessels.

Background

• 80% of heart disease can be prevented.

• Thought to be a man’s problem.

• First conference related to women’s heart health in 1964 (called “How Women can Protect their Husbands Hearts”).

• Women, put simply, did not have heart disease.

• Signs and symptoms taken less seriously (not important until 1990 and to this day are still taken less seriously).

• Women still only comprise a small portion of health research related to heart disease (38%).

• Women can and do get heart disease. Heart disease affects both genders, yet is often underrecognized in women, leading to significant gaps in research, treatment, and awareness.

What is Heart Disease?

• Not just a heart attack.

• CVD - group of diseases of the heart and cerebrovascular disease.

• Better to term cardiovascular disease.

• High BP, high cholesterol, and diabetes are also considered heart disease.

Heart Disease - The Facts

• There is a woman dying every 80 secs from HD.

• Doesn’t always have symptoms.

• Leading cause of death in women over age 45.

• Kills more women than cancer combined.

• 1 out of 3 women will die of HD.

• 64% of women who die suddenly from HD - no previous symptoms.

• In the U.S. 60 million women are living with HD.

• 44% of women realize HD is the greatest threat.

• 33% of all women age 45-54 have CVD and may not know it.

• Disease progresses slowly over time.

HD Facts - AA Women

• 1 in 5 believes she is at risk.

• Hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes.

• Family history.

• Obesity, smoking, physical activity.

HD Facts - His. Women

• More likely to develop heart disease at a younger age (approx. 10 years earlier).

• Diet.

• Family History. Stress, smoking, and inactivity contribute significantly.

HD - Women are Not Small Men

• More men than women die of HD each year.

• Women are less likely to receive appropriate treatment following a heart attack.

• Women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men.

• Decreased estrogen - increases risk of heart attack.

• Cells that make up heart muscle and cardiac stimulation system are different in men and women.

• Women’s symptoms are not as noticeable.

HD - Risk Factors 1

• Age

• Metabolic Syndrome (high waist circumference).

• Race.

• Family history (first degree relatives).

• Smoking.

• Stress.

• Elevated LDL/Low HDL

• High triglycerides.

• Diabetes (uncontrolled increases risk by 5x).

• High BP.

• Sedentary lifestyle.

• Obesity.

• Menopause.

HD - Risk Factors 2

• High cholesterol (want to keep total under 200mg/dL).

• LDL (“loser” want less of).

• HDL (“higher” want more of).

• Tryglycerides

  • AKA “fat”.

  • High triglycerides due to diabetes, oral contraceptives, alcohol consumption.

  • Lower levels - lose weight, lower fat and sugar intake, decrease alcohol, exercise.

• Diverse women and cholesterol.

  • AA women tend to have higher cholesterol (probably due to higher rates of diabetes).

HD - Risk Factors 3

• High BP (hypertension)

  • Want to keep uner 120/80.

  • Often called the “silent killer”.

  • Atherosclerosis.

  • 25% increased risk for heart disease.

  • 33% of adults in U.S. have high BP.

  • Rate of high BP is 60% higher among AA women than white women.

  • 1/5 women of reproductive age have high BP and don’t even know.

HD - Risk Factors 4

• Lack of physical activity (2 ½ hours moderate activity per week is recommended).

• Smoking.

• Maintain proper nutrition.

• Menopause

  • Increased risk appears to be associated with loss of natural estrogen (hormone that aids in protecting the heart).

  • CHD rates are 2-3x higher in women who have reached menopause compared to those who have not.

Heart Attack

• Women can have missed symptoms.

• Also called myocardial infarction.

• More lethal in women than men.

• 2/3 women die at home because they didn’t know.

• Obstruction to blood flow.

  • Heart muscle damaged

  • Arterial Spasm.

    • Temporary, abrupt contraction of an artery.

Heart Attack - Signs and Symptoms

• Overlooked or Misdiagnosed

  • Indigestion

  • Back pain

  • Lousy feeling

  • Breathlessness

  • Fatigue

  • Upper abdomen pressure

  • Unusual fatigue

  • Nausea

  • Dizziness

  • Pressure in center of chest

HD - Young Women

• Women of all ages should be concerned about heart disease, women under 40 are not immune.

• 3rd leading cause of death among women aged 25-44 years.

• Young women may be engaging in behavior now that places them at risk for early onset heart disease.

Stroke

• Brain deprived of blood flow and oxygen - usually due to a blockage.

• More women than men have strokes and women are more likely to die.

• Types of stroke

  • Ischemic

  • Embolic

  • Hemorrhagic

  • Transient Ischemic

Stroke Risk Factors

• High BP

• Smoking

• High total cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Family history

• CAD

• Sedentary lifestyle

Signs/Symptoms of Stroke

• Tingling in face

• Slight headache

• Sudden numbness/weakness in face, arm leg, usually on one side

• Trouble speaking

• Vision difficulty

• Balance/coordination/walking difficulty

• Dizziness

• Severe headache

• Difficulty swallowing

Stroke FAST

• F = facial drooping

• A = arm weakness

• S = speech difficulty

• T = time to call 911

What is cancer?

Abnormal cells grow out of control.

• Form new abnormal cells.

• Most cancer cells for a tumor.

• Not all cancer is the same.

• Group of more than 100 diseases.

Cancer Terminology

• Tumor: a swelling of a part of a body caused by an abnormal growth of tissue.

• Metastasize: ability of cells to break away from tumor.

• Benign: non-cancerous tumor.

• Malignant: cancerous tumor.

• In-Situ: abnormal cells are confined to their original location.

• Invasive: abnormal cells have traveled to another location in the body.

Cancer Facts

• Second leading cause of death of women in the U.S. (2018-2021).

• Second leading cause of death in black, white, hispanic, american indian, native alaskan.

• Leading cause of death among asian american women.