Heart disease has long been known as a deadly killer, that comes in a variety of forms — be it a heart attack, stroke or an assortment of other heart ailments that can be deadly. What might surprise most people, however, is with the prevalence of heart disease among women.
In the minds of many, heart disease is something only men need to be concerned about. Many people feel this way because a father, brother or husband suffered a heart attack. However, heart disease knows no gender when it strikes and actually claimed nearly 200,000 more female lives than breast cancer in the United States in 2003.
Despite the staggering numbers of female lives heart disease claims each year, a 2003 American Heart Association survey of 1,000 women revealed that only 13 percent of women in América believed that heart disease and stroke were the greatest health threat to their lives. To put that survey in another perspective, 87 percent of women were unaware of the truly dangerous waters they might be in.
Whether you’re a woman in the clear minority or overwhelming majority with respect to knowledge about heart disease, consider the following risk factors and be sure to consult a physician.
- Your risk gets greater as you get older. Though heart disease and stroke can strike at any time, the risk gets significantly greater as a person ages. In 2003 alone there were over 45 million women were over the age of 50, meaning a significant portion of the female population was in a high-risk age group.
- Type 2 diabetes puts more women at risk than men. Type 2 diabetes is a strong contributing risk for heart disease in women, more so than it is for men. This heightens the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and a regular exercise regimen for women, as both of these greatly reduce a person’s risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.
- Cholesterol levels affect women, too. Another common misperception is that cholesterol is something only men need to be concerned about. Not true, says the American Heart Association. In fact, low levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as “good” cholesterol) are a stronger predictor of death in women than in men. That suggests that regular visits to your physician to get your cholesterol levels checked are actually more
...
Deported U.S. Veterans create art on border wall
They released me like a baboon into the wild, said Murillo, 35.
His deportation was scheduled for noon, yet it was nearly midnight when he crossed into his country of birth and realized that he had nowhere to go.
The U.S. Navy veteran felt abandoned by the government for which he had ...
President Obamas visit sparks binational protests
During President Barack Obamas recent visit to Mexico, hundreds of migrants and rights activists in four cities protested Obamas deportation policies and called for inclusive, comprehensive immigration reform in the United States.
The Mesoamerican Migrant Movement joined Familia Latina Unida ...
Latinos at higher risk of developing Parkinsons Disease
It is estimated that Parkinsons Disease (PD) affects over one million people in the US, with an estimated 60,000 new patients diagnosed each year. Studies reveal that Latinos have higher rates of developing Parkinsons than other ethnic minority groups, at nearly double the rate. However, ...
Why Guantanamo hunger strike could be the last
SC: Why did you call your memoir "The General"?
AE: Because I was one of a limited number of prisoners at Guantanamo who spoke English, I was often forced to be an "unofficial leader" by guards and interrogators. They nicknamed me "the general."
SC: How were you released?
AE: I was released ...
They released me like a baboon into the wild, said Murillo, 35.
His deportation was scheduled for noon, yet it was nearly midnight when he crossed into his country of birth and realized that he had nowhere to go.
The U.S. Navy veteran felt abandoned by the government for which he had ...
view more videos
view more photos
El Semanario New Mexico 
El Chicago Hispano 
El Semanario