Women at Greater Risk of Heart Disease
October 22, 2011
Heart disease is the number one killer in the world, and it is mostly preventable. But reducing deaths from heart disease will require changes in lifestyle and public policy, and better public awareness programs. Women are at greater risk from heart disease than men. That's partly because it's harder to diagnose in women
.
When a man has a heart attack, it is often because of a blocked artery. An x-ray of blood vessels, called an angiogram, can usually spot a blockage caused by a buildup of plaque. It involves threading a thin tube into a patient's arteries.
But angiograms don't always spot problems in women's arteries. That puts women at greater risk for a heart attack. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that heart disease claims the lives of 18 million women a year. And it's a disease that doesn't just impact older women. Carrie Vincent had a massive heart attack after giving birth to her first child.
"My God, I was 31 years old... 31 year olds don't have heart attacks," said Vincent.
Vincent is now taking her message to women in their homes. Irene Pollin went into action when she learned this fact.
"Heart disease is the number one killer of women," noted Pollin.
Pollin founded an organization called Sister to Sister to educate women about heart disease. She encourages women to learn about their blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other risk factors.
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