Heart Attacks

Michelle Martin
April 25, 2013

Heart Attacks

As many people might not now cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Women in America. Heart attacks are the leading cause of many deaths. However, what is cardiovascular disease and what is a heart attack? A cardiovascular disease is defined as a disease of the heart or blood vessels. A heart attack is defined as a sudden and sometimes fatal occurrence of coronary thrombosis, typically resulting in the death of part of heart muscle.

Heart attacks and heart disease can occur on both men and women. Ironically men tend to have a higher risk for heart attacks before the age of 55 compared to women. This happens because women develop heart disease about 10-15 years later than men due to high levels of estrogen. Estrogen is thought to protect the heart. The hormone lowers LDL cholesterol levels. It also increases high-density cholesterol levels as well as dissolving clots and reducing the progression of lesions.

After a certain age (specifically 55) males and females have relatively close risks of heart attacks. This is because around this age women experience menopause. When a woman experiences menopause she also experiences a drop in estrogen. The lack of estrogen puts women more at risk for cardiovascular diseases.

There are many things you can do to avoid heart disease. Eating healthy, exercising and not smoking are all things that can help you avoid heart disease. However, some elderly women tend to take estrogen supplements. Unfortunately estrogen supplements do not protect the heart and might increase the risk of other serious conditions; such as breast cancer. Taking over the counter or prescribed medicine is another treatment. Doctors decide the best drug treatment combination for their patients. Harvard medical school suggests that men and women’s hearts are different. Thus they should be treated or diagnosed differently. It is known women have smaller arteries and veins, but women’s hearts also beat faster and take a longer time to slow down. Such evidence of differences has researchers studying the differences in physiology and pathophysiology of women’s and men’s hearts.

Researchers from Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital believe that women also have a different intrinsic rhythmicity to the pacemaker of their hearts, which causes them to beat faster. In conclusion, although heart disease affects more men than women before the age of 55; heart disease affects everyone and does not discriminate against males or females. That is why it is important to raise awareness for cardiac care. I myself am part of an organization that it’s philanthropy is to raise cardiac awareness. The Alpha Phi foundation donates thousands of dollars a year to help researchers find ways to either cure or better prevent cardiac diseases. However, it is still important to go to your doctor get checked and live a healthy lifestyle.

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