But the optimal time, during which to go to the hospital, is one hour after the onset of symptoms; the longer you wait, the higher the risk of death. But many women do not even realize the degree of their risk. For them, the first sign of cardiovascular disease is often a heart attack. That's when they find out that they have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. At the same time, they can for the first time realize that smoking really hurts their health. The cause of heart disease is still not clear, but we will help to prevent them.
Onset of disease
In fact, the signs of the disease may appear earlier than you will feel their symptoms. The autopsy of teenage girls killed in car accidents showed the presence of cholesterol plaques on the walls of the vessels - the formations that increase the risk of a heart attack. Many young women do not realize that even if they do not have any symptoms, they can expose themselves to various risk factors, including the lack of regular exercise and the use of excessive amounts of harmful fats. For example, after receiving the results of the survey, some young athletes athletes were very stricken when they learned that they had elevated cholesterol levels or were close to critical and that they were at risk. I had to explain to them that heart disease does not care what size you wear - 48 or 60. You are at risk if at least one of the symptoms is detected - for example, high blood pressure. Doctors do not always manage to quickly diagnose heart disease and not all doctors realize how widespread these diseases are among women. Insufficient vigilance of doctors, when it comes to the symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women, is simply terrifying. It turns out that less than 20% of doctors, including gynecologists, therapists and cardiologists, know that every year more women die from heart disease than men. And studies conducted in Europe showed that women with heart disease had twice the risk of dying from a heart attack, possibly because they did not pass a timely examination and did not take preventive medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
This is hardly an attack ...
Part of the problem is that doctors usually look for classic signs of a heart attack, such as a burning pain or burning sensation in the chest that spreads to the neck or shoulder area. Although these symptoms may be present, they will not necessarily be basic. In studies of scientists it was found that more than 70% of women during the heart attack experienced weakness, almost half - shortness of breath, and about 40% complained of indigestion a month before the attack. Many women who had suffered a heart attack between the ages of 30 and 50 complained that they could not go down the stairs or simply move from one end of the room to another - it was given to them with great difficulty. Many believed that they were overtired or just showing age.
Equal rights of the sexes
The difference in symptoms can be explained by differences in physiology. Women are more likely to develop microvascular diseases or blockade of small coronary arteries than men. Approximately three million women suffering from heart disease are diagnosed with this type of diagnosis. Such a method to determine the risk of developing heart diseases, like an angiogram showing the presence of deposits on the walls of large coronary arteries, from which men are more affected, is not very effective in detecting small deposits on the walls of small vessels. And this means that millions of women can not count on an accurate diagnosis. Today, studies are under way to develop such diagnostic methods as magnetic resonance and computer angiography, which are supposed to be more effective in detecting microvascular diseases in women.
What is the result of all of the above?
Since heart disease is difficult to diagnose and many of us underestimate their danger, it is important to take a closer look at your own health: to know your normal blood pressure and cholesterol level and be able to recognize anxious symptoms. It is also important to make some changes in your lifestyle that in the long term will help reduce the risk of diseases. Studies show that more than 80% of cases of heart disease in women are associated with smoking and sedentary lifestyle. There is no medicine that could prevent heart disease. To maintain healthy health, you need time and effort to change your habits. Simply put, if you do not want to increase your already sad statistics, start taking care of your heart health today.
Half an hour for a healthy heart
It is usually considered that physical education aimed at improving health requires a slightly different approach than simple work on a figure. But studies show that you can reduce the risk of heart disease by 40%, doing only 30-40 minutes a day. This figure in itself is an excellent motive. Regular exercise helps strengthen the heart muscle, improve the lungs and blood circulation, promote the growth of "good" cholesterol. In addition to this, exercise helps to control weight, which in turn prevents the increase in blood pressure and the appearance of diabetes - known risk factors for heart disease. To make sports the most effective, we recommend working with an intensity of 50-80% of your normal heart rate. The training program given here includes mid-to-high-pace workouts and helps you get rid of 300 calories.
Exercise for your heart
For this training program, any kind of walking, running, cycling or elliptical trainer is suitable. Do it 3-5 times a week in addition to strength training. The initial stages of heart disease often do not have severe symptoms. That's why it's worth to pass a number of tests already at a young age.
Blood pressure
When measuring pressure, the doctor determines the force of the blood pressure on the blood vessels during each stroke of the heart. Ideal is the pressure below 120/80. The results of the studies show that as the pressure increases (above 115/75), the risk of developing heart diseases increases proportionally. If your blood pressure is normal, check it once a year. If the pressure is elevated (120-139 / 80) or high (more than 140/90), you should measure it every three months until it stabilizes.
Blood sugar level in fasting
This test shows the glucose, or sugar content, in your blood after 8 hours after eating. The results of a large-scale study show that about 1.5 million deaths from heart disease and 709,000 stroke deaths were the result of high glucose levels. The ideal blood sugar should not exceed 99 mg / dL. Women who do not have risk factors must undergo this test at the age of 40. If the indicators are normal, you should do repeated tests every few years. If the sugar level is high, repeat the tests every six months.
Cholesterol
During this blood test, high-density cholesterol (ie, "good"), low-density cholesterol (ie, "bad") and triglycerides (a kind of fat associated with obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure) is determined. High levels of low density cholesterol can lead to the formation of plaques on the walls of the vessels, while high-density cholesterol helps to remove fat from the blood to the liver where it is split. Your total cholesterol level should be below 200, while the low density cholesterol should not exceed 100, high density cholesterol should be below 50, and the triglyceride level should be below 150. If all the parameters are normal, then a blood test for cholesterol can be done once in five years. If they are raised, doctors advise doing a blood test once a year.
Reactive Protein
This blood test determines the blood content of the reactive protein, which is an indicator of inflammatory processes associated with an increased risk of heart disease. This test is very important, as about half of heart attacks happen to people who have normal cholesterol levels. One study showed that high levels of reactive protein in women signal a risk of heart attack, even if the level of low-density cholesterol was normal. If you are at risk for heart disease, go through this test at the age of about 30 years and, depending on the results, repeat it every 2-4 years.
Electrocardiogram
ECG provides an opportunity to evaluate the work of your heart. With the help of electrodes that are attached to the chest, hands and feet, the doctor records electrical impulses that pass through the heart muscle. Make a cardiogram at the age of 35 to 40 years. If everything is in order, then a second examination can be done in 3-5 years.
Stress test
This test determines how your heart is handling the stresses, which is an indicator of possible coronary artery disease. While walking or running on a treadmill, information about the activity of the heart is fixed by means of electrodes attached to the chest and a pressure measuring device. If you quickly get tired during normal workouts, you should pass a stress test.
5 habits harmful to your heart
When it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease, even small changes
in the way of life are of great importance. By taking care of everyone around you, you often forget about your own needs, which can eventually end in stress. It is known that stress along with malnutrition and lack of physical activity is a serious factor affecting the development of heart disease. Thus, in a study conducted by scientists at the University of Florida, it was found that psychological stress increases the risk of death in patients with heart disease. If you start to develop habits that help you cope with anxiety and anxiety, then in the future you can avoid the development of chronic stress. Everyday, find time for soothing procedures, be it 10 minutes of meditation or a run through the park.
You eat harmful fats
Many women stick to low-fat diets and therefore lean on low-fat cookies, crackers, cream cheese - all those foods that contain a large number of calories, but have a low nutritional value. The optimal option will be the use of a moderate amount of monounsaturated fats (rapeseed, olive and nut butter) and polyunsaturated fats (fatty fish, for example salmon, as well as nuts, flaxseed, sesame and sunflower oil); these fats contribute to lowering cholesterol and cause a sense of satiety. Strive to get 30% of the daily number of calories with healthy fats and less than 7% - with saturated (whole milk products, red meat and butter). Avoid the use of trans fats (fried foods, packaged snacks, margarine). Obtained from partially hydro-genized vegetable fats, trans fats increase the level of low-density cholesterol and reduce high-density cholesterol.
You believe that bad habits are compensated for by
Sorry, but the fact that you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables does not mean that smoking and lack of exercise do not affect your health in any way. Each risk factor should be treated separately, doctors say.
You do not eat dairy products
A recent study by Harvard University scientists showed that people who consumed skim milk products and yogurt more than 3 times a day, 36% less likely to suffer from high blood pressure than those who consumed less than one serving. Apparently, the low calcium content in your diet is compensated for by calcium cells of the smooth muscles of the arteries, which leads to their narrowing and increase in pressure, experts explain. The intake of calcium with food additives can not be an equivalent replacement, since dairy products also contain potassium and magnesium, minerals that help reduce blood pressure.
You are not attentively reading the labels on the products
You can monitor the amount of calories, fat content, but do not pay attention to other figures. Many products that have been chemically processed contain a large amount of sodium. So even being low-calorie, they still harm your blood vessels. Try to keep the daily intake of sodium does not exceed 2,300 mg. In addition, if the level of glucose in your blood is increased, you should pay attention to the amount of carbohydrates. Ideally, the product should contain less than 20% of the recommended daily intake of carbohydrates and at least 5 grams of fiber. Finally, avoid eating foods with partially hydro-genetized fats (or trans fats), and note that even those foods that contain 0.5 grams of trans fat, the label may indicate that there are none at all .