22 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | OCTOBER 2024
The Truth About Women and Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States . Although it is largely preventable , each year more than 300,000 women , or 1 in every 5 , die from heart disease , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
About 1 in 16 women ages 20 and older have coronary heart disease , the most common type of heart disease , and 75 % of women 20-39 years old have one or more risk factors . These include diabetes , hypertension ( also known as high blood pressure ), high cholesterol , currently smoking or obesity . For African American and Hispanic / Latina women , the risk of heart disease is even greater .
Among women 20 years and older , more than half of African American women and one-third of Hispanic / Latina women have hypertension , which when left uncontrolled greatly impacts the risk for heart disease or stroke .
In an effort to educate women about heart disease at younger ages , the National Heart , Lung , and Blood Institute ’ s ( NHLBI ) The Heart Truth ( r ) program launched an initiative called Yes , YOU !
The initiative is focused on empowering younger women to know the facts about heart disease , understand their personal risk factors and equip themselves with resources to take action to protect their hearts .
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
22 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | OCTOBER 2024