16 Risk Factors Of Heart Disease In Women!

Women are at high risk for heart disease and stroke when compared to men.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women above 65 years of age.

The American heart association has found that various factors can increase the risk of heart disease in women.

The greater the risk factors a woman have, the more her risk of getting a heart attack.

There are certain risk factors that you can not control, such as advancing age, gender, family history and race.

Also, you can alter certain risk factors to lower the risk of heart disease.

Risk factors of heart disease that you can’t control:

1. Gender: Every year, about 60,000 more women when compared to men have heart disease. More than 60% of the total stroke deaths occur in only women.

2. Advancing age: Usually, women develop heat disease 10-15 years later than men. Until you enter into the menopause stage, your ovaries can produce enough estrogen and it protects you against building the plaque in arteries.

But, once you enter into menopause, your ovaries stop production of estrogen thus increasing your risk of heart disease.

Not only menopause is the only reason for heart attack, but as you age, arteries become stiffer and thicker thus keeping at risk.

3. Family history: Woman whose father or brother had developed heart disease before 55 years of age is at greater risk and woman whose mother or sister had developed heart disease before 65 years of age is also at risk.

4. Race: Black women have higher risk of heart disease than white women. Compared to white women, African-American women are more likely to die of heart attack.

5. Ethnicity: African or South Asian people are more likely to have diabetes and high blood pressure and therefore are at high risk of heart disease and stroke than general population.

6. Prior stroke: Women who have had a heart attack are at greater risk of having another attack.

Risk factors of heart disease that you can control:

7. High blood cholesterol: It is a major risk factor of heart disease and also increases the occurrence of stroke. Research showed that women have high blood cholesterol when compared to men from age 55 onwards.

High LDL cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack, whereas high HDL cholesterol levels decrease the risk.

8. Physical activity: Lack of exercise is a risk factor for heart disease and also increases the risk of heart attack. Inactive and dull women are at high risk of heart disease than active women.

Also, overeating can lead to high levels of blood cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and finally increase the risk of heart disease and heat attack.

9. Diabetes: Diabetic adults are 2-4 times at higher risk of heart disease when compared to adults without diabetes. Often diabetics have high cholesterol and blood pressure and are overweight keeping them at higher risk.

10. Tobacco smoke: Smoking is the major cause of cardiovascular disease among women. Smoking women are at high risk of ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Also, smoking women who use birth control pills are even at greater risk of stroke.

11. High blood pressure: It is the major risk factor for stroke. Obese women who have family history of high blood pressure, take birth control pills and enter into menopause are at high risk of heart disease.

12. Obesity: High fat levels, particularly if they are located in the waist area can keep you at greater risk for heart disease.

13. Depression: Depression is twice as common in women as in men. It increases the risk of heart disease by two to three times when compared to women who are not depressed.

14. Excessive alcohol consumption: Moderate drinking can decrease the risk of heart disease, but drinking excessively and binge drinking can make you obese and increase triglyceride levels and finally lead to heart attack.

15. High levels of triglycerides: It is a type of fat in your body. High triglyceride levels indicate that you have high LDL levels and low HDL levels thus keeping you at risk of heart disease.

16. Stress: Stress also has a major role in the development of heart disease. High stress levels can make you to develop unhealthy habits like overeating and smoking.