While blood pressure and cholesterol are the two big risks that everyone should work towards keeping at a healthy level, there are other factors as well that have been associated with heart disease risk factors in women. They include diabetes, high blood sugar, smoking, high blood pressure, unhealthy diet, low physical activity, and excess body weight.

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However, in the case of women, women can be at a higher risk because of hormonal factors and lifestyle factors. Women can also be diagnosed with heart disease earlier than men due to the earlier onset of symptoms.

Another factor that may increase the risk for women with heart disease is obesity. So, let’s explore the heart disease risk factor in women and find ways to prevent it.

Heart disease risk factors in women

While there is no specific cause for heart disease in women, heart disease, particularly at an early stage, can be attributed to a wide variety of factors. The following is a summary of heart disease risk factors in women are :

• Race and ethnicity

• Diabetes

• high blood pressure

• high cholesterol

• smoking

• family history

• consumption of red meat and processed meats

• circumstances of pregnancy

• eating a high-fat diet

• obesity

• diabetes

• physical activity

We now know that most of these risk factors are interrelated, but it is still not possible to point to one single reason why some women develop heart disease or die from it.

Furthermore, some women may develop multiple risk factors simultaneously. Heart disease risk factors in women need to work with a medical professional to identify and manage any risks.

What are the symptoms of heart disease in a woman?

Mild to moderate heart disease (sometimes called angina) may be the only symptom of a heart attack. You might experience:

• Shortness of breath

• Pain or discomfort in your chest, neck, jaw, or stomach

• Nausea or vomiting

• Numbness in the arms or legs

It’s not just women who can get heart attacks. Men may get a heart attack, too. Though the symptoms are different, men can also get shortness of breath, pain or discomfort in their chest, neck, jaw, or stomach, dizziness, and back pain. The warning signs differ from person to person, but they all mean a heart attack is coming. In general, women are more likely to be diagnosed with more severe symptoms of a heart attack than men.

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What are the most common heart disease risk factors in women?

It is very important for women to understand what the risk factors are in their lives. If you find that there are risk factors for heart disease in your family, discuss the risk factors with your doctor or cardiologist.

Risk factors for heart disease can be broadly divided into lifestyle and genetic predisposition. Some factors, including age, family history, or poor lifestyle habits, are influenced by genetic factors. Others, such as smoking, high blood pressure, and a high body mass index, are influenced by lifestyle factors, such as eating habits and physical activity.

Lifestyle factors are lifestyle habits such as smoking, lack of exercise, eating too much red meat, or skipping breakfast. A high body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. High BMI, as well as high blood pressure, may be caused by family history. A higher BMI is a sign that a person is sedentary and may be more likely to develop heart disease.

How does being fat increase the heart disease risk factor in women?

Weight gain contributes to the development of the blood vessels that deliver blood to the heart muscle. This increases the risk of the heart muscle being injured, reducing the heart’s ability to function well.

A study involving more than 200,000 middle-aged, healthy women found that women who were overweight or obese at age 20 years were twice as likely to develop the heart disease-causing build-up of fatty plaque within their coronary arteries over the next 40 years than were normal-weight women. The type and size of the heart disease-related plaque were similar in overweight and obese women, as well as women with high blood pressure or diabetes.

If you were once a slim child, this dramatic weight gain should be taken in the context of long-term changes in lifestyle. Research has linked increases in body weight to a number of potentially damaging behaviors such as smoking, drinking, sedentary behavior, and poor diet.

Conclusion:

Nowadays heart disease is very common in women so, here we have discussed heart disease risk factors in women. Now you should aware of the symptoms and causes of heart disease. You are dealing with any of the symptoms then you should consult the doctor for your better treatment.

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