Heart Health Statistics for Women

-- one in four American women dies of heart disease, it's the #1 killer



-- february 1st is national wear red day - (Go Red For Women is a national movement founded by the American Heart Association to help you to fight back against the No. 1 killer of American women.)



-- there are different kinds of heart disease, most common kind of heart disease is coronary artery disease. This is when your heart doesn't get enough blood.



-- not everyone experiences chest pain during a heart attack



-- Studies suggest that more women than men experience so-called "atypical" symptoms, such as back pain, nausea, or fatigue, Lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness



-- Pre-heart attack or prodromal symptoms are symptoms that occur before a heart attack, generally from about 4 to 6 months to 1 week before



-- Common pre-heart attack symptoms are unusual fatigue, anxiety, pain in shoulder blade and upper back, shortness of breath, indigestion



-- For women who do not have serious risk factors for heart disease, low-dose birth control pills do NOT pose a risk for heart disease.



-- for women with certain heart disease risk factors, taking birth control pills can increase the risk of heart problems. (risk factors such as smoking, family history, diabetes etc....) women in this category may want a different form of birth control



-- eating an unhealthy Western-style diet increases a woman’s risk of developing heart disease by 46%



-- a heart healthy diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables, grains (particularly whole grains), fat-free and low-fat dairy products, fish, legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, soybeans), poultry, and lean meats