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Facts About Heart Disease And Women:
Controlling High Blood Pressure
Facts About Heart Disease And Women
Preventing And Controlling High Blood Pressure
Coronary Heart Disease is a woman's concern. Every woman's concern. One in ten American
women 45 to 64 years of age has some form of heart disease, and this increases to one in
five women over 65. Another 1.6 million women have had a stroke. Both heart disease and
stroke are known as cardiovascular diseases, which are serious disorders of the heart and
blood vessel system.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, greatly increases your chances of
developing cardiovascular diseases, and it is the most important risk factor for stroke.
Even slightly high levels double your risk. More than half of American women will develop
high blood pressure at some point in their lives.
High blood pressure is sometimes called the "silent killer" because most
people who have it do not feel sick. That makes it particularly important to have your
blood pressure checked each time you see your doctor or other health professional. If your
blood pressure is found to be at 140/90 or above, then you have high blood pressure. You
will likely need to have your pressure measured on at least two more occasions to be sure
the result is accurate.
Heart Disease Risk Factors
Risk factors are habits or traits that make a person more likely to develop a disease.
Many of those for heart disease can be controlled. These include:
- Cigarette smoking
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Overweight
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk. So take action--take control!
Coronary Heart Disease is a woman's concern. Every woman's concern. One in ten American
women 45 to 64 years of age has some form of heart disease, and this increases to one in
five women over 65. Another 1.6 million women have had a stroke.Both heart disease and
stroke are known as cardiovascular diseases, which are serious disorders of the heart and
blood vessel system. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, greatly increases
your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases, and it is the most important risk
factor for stroke. Even slightly high levels double your risk. More than half of American
women will develop high blood pressure at some point in their lives. High blood pressure
is sometimes called the "silent killer" because most people who have it do not
feel sick. That makes it particularly important to have your blood pressure checked each
time you see your doctor or other health professional. If your blood pressure is found to
be at 140/90 or above, then you have high blood pressure. You will likely need to have
your pressure measured on at least two more occasions to be sure the result is accurate.
What You Can Do: Control And Prevention
If you have high blood pressure, you can control it with proper treatment. If you don't
have high blood pressure now, you can take steps to prevent it from developing. You can
help to control and prevent high blood pressure by taking the following steps:
- Limit Your Alcohol Use. If you drink alcohol, have no more than one drink per
day. That means no more than 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 1/2 ounces of hard
liquor.
- Use Less Salt. Try seasoning foods instead with herbs, spices, and lemon juice.
Keep in mind that sodium, an ingredient in salt, is "hidden" in many packaged
and processed foods. Check product labels for the amount of sodium in each serving. Many
experts advise a total daily salt intake of no more than 6 grams, which equals about 2,400
milligrams of sodium--this includes whatever is added during cooking and at the table. If
you would like to try a salt substitute, talk with your doctor first, because they are not
safe for everyone.
- Be Physically Active. Even low- to modeate-intensity activity, if done regularly,
can help control and prevent high blood pressure. Examples of such exercise are walking
for pleasure, gardening, yardwork, moderate-to-heavy housework, dancing, and home
exercise. Try to do one or more of these activities every day. Lose Weight If You Are
Overweight. Taking off excess pounds will help to control and prevent high blood pressure,
and will lower your chances of developing cardiovascular disease in several other ways.
Weight loss will help to prevent and control diabetes, and it can also lower blood
cholesterol levels. Finally, since being overweight raises the chances of developing heart
disease, losing weight can lower your risk. The following are some suggestions for making
weight loss an easier, safer, and more successful process: Eat For Health. Choose a wide
variety of low-calorie, nutritious foods in moderate amounts. Make sure that these foods
are low in fat, especially saturated fat. Remember, fat is the greatest source of
calories. If you have a lot of weight to lose, ask your doctor or a nutritionist to help
you develop a sensible, well-balanced plan for gradual weight loss. Keep Milk On the Menu.
Don't cut out dairy products in trying to reduce calories and fat. Dairy products are rich
in calcium, a nutrient that is particularly important for women. Instead, choose skim or
low fat, lower calorie dairy products.
- Get Beyond Dieting. To keep the pounds off, change your basic eating habits
rather than simply "go on a diet." Learn to recognize social and emotional
situations that trigger overeating and find ways to cope with them that work for you.
Avoid Fads and Diet Pills. Most fad diets provide poor nutrition and cause a number of
side effects. Although fad diets can give quick and dramatic results, the weight returns
quickly once you stop dieting. Also avoid diet pills. Most have troublesome side effects
and none of them work for long-term weight loss.
- Get a Move On. While physical activity alone won't take off many pounds, exercise
can help burn calories, tone muscles, and control appetite. It will also help you keep off
the weight you lose.
- Ask For Support. Tell your family and friends about your weight loss plans and
let them know how they can help you. You might also want to join a self-help group devoted
to weight control. These groups provide support and practical suggestions on nutrition and
long-term weight control.
Another Consideration
It is also important to know that if you take birth control pills, your blood pressure
is apt to increase slightly. The risk appears to increase with age and with length of use.
If you are taking oral contraceptives, you should get your blood pressure checked
regularly. If hypertension develops, you should stop using the pill.
Taking Medication
If you have high blood pressure and it stays high even after you make the changes
described above, your doctor will probably also prescribe medicine. The amount you take
may be gradually reduced, especially if you are successful with the changes you make in
your lifestyle. If you feel any uncomfortable side effects from the drug, ask your doctor
about lowering the amount you take, or possibly switching to another type of medicine.
Blood Pressure Categories In Adults (18 Years and Older)
Blood pressure is shown as two numbers--the systolic pressure as the heart is beating
and the diastolic pressure between heartbeats.
| Blood Pressure Level in mmHg |
| Category |
Systolic |
Diastolic |
| Normal |
<130 |
<85 |
| High-Normal |
130-139 |
85-89 |
| Hypertension |
|
|
| Stage 1 |
140-159 |
90-99 |
| Stage 2 |
160-179 |
100-109 |
| Stage 3 |
180-209 |
110-119 |
| Stage 4 |
>210 |
>120 |
From: The Fifth Report of the Joint National Committee on Detection,
Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, NIH, NHLBI, 1993.
| Move It and Lose It |
Activities |
Calories
Burned
per Hour* |
Sitting Quietly |
80 |
Standing Quietly |
95 |
Light Activity
- Office work
- Cleaning house
- Playing golf
|
240 |
Moderate Activity
- Walking briskly (3.5 mph)
- Gardening Bicycling (5.5 mph)
- Dancing
|
370 |
Strenuous Activity
- Jogging (9 min. per mile)
- Swimming
|
580 |
Very Strenuous Activity
- Running (7 min. per mile)
- Racquetball
- Skiing
|
740 |
*For a healthy 140-pound woman. If you weigh more than
140 pounds, you will probably burn more calories per hour. If you weigh less, you will
probably burn fewer calories per hour.
Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Department of
Agriculture/U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, 1990.
| Keep Track of Your Blood Pressure |
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Normal: Under 140/90 mm Hg
For More Information
If you want to know more about keeping your heart healthy, the National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has available free fact sheets on the following subjects:
preventing high blood cholesterol, quitting smoking, the heart benefits of physical
activity, and heart disease risk factors for women.
Contact:
NHLBI Information Center
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
(301) 251-1222
U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services
Public Health Service National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 95-3655 July 1994
U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services
Public Health Service National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 95-3655 July 1994
Updated August 1996
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