Guest guest Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 About Heart Disease in women. I thought that I would jump in here with a warning to all women about heart disease. Having gone through over 2 years of procedures, changing my life style, incorporating new programs, going to Cardiac Rehab two and three times per week for 2 years. Wow! But there are warning signs and women should know they are at risk. Women - Pay Attention! Heart failure affects about 2.5 million women in the United States.1 Despite the fact that women account for nearly 50% of all hospital admissions for heart failure, only 25% of women are involved in heart failure studies. Consequently, advances in heart failure therapies apply to most men, but have not been adequately studied in women. Differences of women with heart failure as compared to men with heart failure Women tend to develop congestive heart failure at an older age than men.2 Women tend to develop diastolic heart failure with a more normal ejection fraction than men.2-4 Ejection fraction is the measurement of how much blood is being pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart. Heart failure can occur due to a weakened heart muscle (systolic heart failure) or may be related to a stiff, inflexible heart muscle (diastolic heart failure). In some cases the ejection fraction can be normal, but due to the increased pressures inside the heart and lungs, the patient can have heart failure. The causes of heart failure in women are often linked to high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and diabetes mellitus.5 Although rare, peripartum cardiomyopathy is a cause of heart failure Depression is frequently associated with heart failure and is more common in women than men.7 Extreme fatigue is one of the first signs of heart failure in women. Although the signs and symptoms of heart failure are the same among men and women, women tend to have more symptoms such as shortness of breath and more difficulty exercising than men. They also have swelling around their ankles more frequently than men. In general, women survive longer than men with heart failure. Check out these articles and HEALTH in particular. http://www.jeannero se.net/articles/ Health_salem. html Take care and be well. Jeanne Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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