Women are at higher risk of heart disease: study

Experts recommend taking care of food.

Women are at higher risk of heart disease: study | Image taken from semana.com

Several studies and investigations have shown that diseases, specifically of the heart, manifest themselves and have different implications for men and women. For this reason, some medical centers, laboratories and EPS make a call for women to be alert to signs and symptoms that may indicate that their heart is suffering from a disease. According to figures presented by DANE, during the first quarter of 2022, ischemic heart diseases were among the leading causes of natural death in women. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world and, according to estimates, claim 17.9 million lives each year, as recorded by the WHO. The organization says that these diseases constitute a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels that include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and rheumatic heart disease. Four out of five deaths from cardiovascular disease are due to coronary heart disease and stroke, and a third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age.

“It is important for people to be alert for symptoms such as rapid heart rate; pressure or pain in the arm, chest, back, sternum or jaw area or burning sensation in the chest and throat, as these manifestations may indicate cardiac complications”, said Dr. Jaime Bonilla, medical advisor from Bayer. According to the Spanish Heart Foundation, men have a 30% chance of dying from a heart attack, while in women this figure rises to 50%. Once the first heart attack is over, the foundation estimates that 25% of men die during the following year and this percentage reaches 38% in women. On the other hand, a study published in the Colombian Journal of Cardiology showed that the influence of gender on cardiovascular pathophysiology generates both basic anatomical differences and physiological response related to diseases such as thrombosis, in addition to significant differences in platelet function. and the activity of coagulation factors.

However, the perception of Colombian women regarding heart disease does not coincide with a survey carried out between 2017 and 2018 by the Centro Nacional de Consultoría, in which only 10% of women consider cardiovascular disease as their main cause of death and 3% as their biggest health problem. On the other hand, scientific evidence shows that after the age of 50, women are more likely to suffer from this type of heart condition, because during menopause they stop producing estrogen, which plays a major role in the cardiovascular system, reducing the level of bad cholesterol and causing a vasodilator effect. Given these circumstances, there are several entities, medical actors, health professionals, and even governments, who are constantly working to improve the quality of life of Colombians through the development of solutions and the dissemination of appropriate information. for health care. "That is why it is so important to maintain healthy lifestyles that include a good diet, physical activity and regular check-ups that allow possible anomalies that can become serious health effects to be detected in time," concluded Dr. Bonilla.

Article taken from Semana.com

By: Semana.com

https://www.semana.com/vida-moderna/articulo/las-mujeres-tienen-mas-riesgo-de-padecer-enfermedades-del-corazon-segun-estudio/202232/

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