its that time of month again, and nairaland resident witches and wizards have started cackling and dropping hints here and there on how they are waiting (hoping) for "who is the next widower".


Not again, did I hear you say.

Check these threads:

https://www.nairaland.com/2295858/married-women-taking-cruise-caribbeans

(her original story was she's going with a bunch of married female friends. Then she changed it to her blood relatives. Not to mention, must you wait for someone to die -you claim-before you go on a cruise? )


https://www.nairaland.com/2296598/after-21-yearshis-wife-made

(this one claims she is married with kids).





back to the main purpose of the thread:



Anyhoo, this topic aims to discuss heart health in women (maybe men also), recognizing the symptoms of heart disease, and lifestyle factors that either help or hinder it.

I opened a thread previously discuss women's health, but of course no woman or man showed up there since its not a comfort zone and not as zingily salacious as the regular fare around here.

Heart Health and Stroke


Many women may not be aware that heart disease and stroke are major threats to their health. But heart disease is the number one cause of death among women in the United States, and stroke is number three.


Heart attack, stroke, and other forms of heart disease are a threat to so many women. But you can take steps to protect your heart and lower your risk. Steps include getting regular physical activity, making healthy food choices, knowing your numbers and taking good care of yourself overall. It is also important to make sure you talk to your doctor about heart health and the use of menopausal hormone therapy or aspirin.

Physical activity

You don't have to become a super athlete, but your body needs to move. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that an active lifestyle can lower your risk of early death from heart disease, stroke, and many other health problems. It can also boost your mood. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:


•2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity

or

•1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity

or

•A combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity

and

•Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days



So pick an activity you like, and do it often.

Healthy eating

Eating fatty, greasy food can make you put on weight. But that's not the only risk. Unhealthy eating has a direct impact on your arteries, your blood pressure, your glucose level, among other things. You don't need to go on a special diet to eat healthy. Just make sure you focus on eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, beans, peas, nuts, and lean meats. The foods you eat should also be low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol (koh-LESS-tur-ol), salt, and added sugars. If you drink alcohol, do it moderately. Women should drink no more than one alcoholic drink per day.



Knowing your numbers

Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) and blood sugar levels. These simple screening tests will give you important information about your heart health. Your doctor can tell you what your numbers mean and what you need to do to protect your heart. Check out the Screening tests and vaccines section on this site to learn how often you need these screening tests.



Taking care of yourself

Stress, anxiety, depression, and lack of sleep have all been linked to increased risk of heart disease. And they're not doing your mind or the rest of your body any good either. You may feel that you don't have enough time to take a break or get enough sleep now. But the possible results of overloading yourself, including heart attack and stroke, aren't worth it. In the midst of all you do, it's important to make time for yourself. Make sure you get the amount of sleep you need each day to wake up feeling refreshed. Take steps to keep stress in check, such as taking time each day to relax and unwind with friends or loved ones. And if you're having trouble coping because of depression, anxiety, or other emotional health issues, get help. Your doctor or a counselor can teach you healthy ways to reduce stress or suggest treatment for depression or other mental health problems. Although we don't know if treating emotional problems or reducing stress lowers heart disease risk, doing so will boost your overall health and well-being.


http://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-health-stroke/heart-disease-stroke-prevention/index.html

Heart Health Awareness Lags For Black Women, Study Says: 5 Ways To Close The Gap


African-American women are 1.6 times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure, putting them ahead of the pack when it comes to heart disease risk. But a new study in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation, shows that the same group is lagging behind when it comes to knowing what the risk factors for heart disease are.

"There's good news and bad news. The rate of awareness of heart disease as a leading threat, the leading cause of death for women, has doubled in the last 15 years for both white women and black women," said Lori Mosca, M.D., the lead author of the study. "Unfortunately, there's still a minority gap in awareness. Black women are at the level of awareness in 2012 -- 30 percent -- as white women were in 1997."

Mosca's research, conducted between August and October 2012, included online and telephone surveys with more than 1,200 women ages 25 and older. Mosca and her team then compared results from surveys taken in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009 assessing women's lifestyle, awareness of the leading cause of death and warning signs of a heart attack, and what they would do if they experienced heart attack symptoms.

"We're improving the level of awareness for everybody equally overall, but since black women started at half the level to begin with, I'm concerned that we need more sustained and more targeted efforts to African-American women," Mosca said.

Mosca said the African-American women involved in her study expressed a greater level of trust in their doctors when compared to white women, and that factor could be used to help increase awareness about heart health. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of taking preventive action.

Here are eight ways to get a jump on those preventive measures today:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/heart-health-awareness-black-women-gap_n_2726883.html

In Africa, Heart Disease And Its Risk Factors Are Expanding


Many types of heart disease as well as some of its associated risk factors, which are traditionally only associated with high-income countries, are increasing in incidence in African people. This is worsening the threat to these populations and only deepening the challenges governments and doctors must face in these areas. These conclusions were published in an article in The Lancet released on March 14, 2008.

The epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in developed countries has been well documented, from its causes to its consequences. In low-income and middle-income countries, where malnourishment and infectious disease are also common, there are few data to describe CVD's effects.

To explore this, the Heart of Soweto Study was performed by Professor Simon Stewart, Cardiovascular Research Unit, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Baker Heart Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues. The study focused on the clinical range of disorders related to CVD in patients presenting for the first time to a cardiology unit in Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in one year. Data was recorded for 4,162 patients with confirmed CVD, 1,593 of whom were newly diagnosed and 2,569 of whom were previously diagnosed and under treatment. Additionally, they established a registry for newly diagnosed patients with relevant data.

Upon examination it was found that, of the newly diagnosed study population, 85% (1,359) were black Africans and 59% (939) were women. In the same population, women had an average age of 53 years, while men were older with a mean of 55 years. Approximately 25% of the patients were younger than 40 years old.

The most common primary diagnosis was heart failure, and this was present in 44% of the patients. Compared to the rest of the population, black Africans were 46% more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure, but only 10% as likely to be diagnosed with coronary artery disease. In general, the presence of CVD risk factors was very high: 56% of the patients had hypertension or high blood pressure; 44% of the patients with hypertension were obese. 59% (933) newly diagnosed patients showed several risk factors, while only 8% (209) of this population showed no identifiable risk factors.

This study, according to the authors, will have important implications on actions taken to prevent and treat heart disease, not just in Soweto, but also for other urban communities in Africa that are presently experiencing similar epidemiological changes in their disease profiles. Presently, a broad range of advanced conditions are included in the spectrum of Soweto's heart disease. This includes the infectious diseases usually expected in African populations, such as rheumatic valvular diseases, cardiomyopathies, tuberculosis linked pericardial effusion and diseases exacerbated by HIV incidence. However, also included are newer non-communicable diseases that are associated with advanced clinical presentation, which usually are reported in high-income countries, such as hypertensive heart disease and coronary artery disease.

The authors point out in particular their concern that the patients most likely to be obese in both this hospital and in the general community were black African women, and that this group represents a greater proportion of the whole than black African men. "[This] is especially noteworthy in view of the typical male dominance seen in cohorts from developed countries. "They conclude, highlighting the final implications of their new data: "The combination of common preventable risk factors and late clinical presentations - especially heart failure - represents a particular challenge to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies to not only reduce the number of new cases of cardiovascular disease but also improve health outcomes for those with pre-established disease."

Dr Harvey White, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand, and Dr Anthony Dalby, Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed an accompanying Comment in which they point out the importance of this study along with some challenges. They say: "The major challenge is how to increase health resources. A recurring theme in Africa is the lack of reliable statistics. This registry, from one of the largest urban populations of black Africans, goes a long way to correcting that deficit in Soweto."



http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106148.php

Signs and Symptoms in Men and Women:

[img]http://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/sjasper/images/heartwarningsigns.gif[/img]

[img]http://inthewedge.files./2010/12/hf_symptoms1.gif[/img]

tpiadotcom:

pls are U are cardiologist?