…than non-smoking women. Prior to menopause a woman is primarily protected from heart disease by estrogen. Smoking is one of the risk factors that erases that protection. From 1986 through 1999, I directed a Phase II Cardiac Rehab program. Every woman in my program who was younger than 40 years of age was a smoker. The risk is even worse if the woman who smokes also takes birth-control pills. It’s the nicotine and the carbon monoxide that are the culprits. Nicotine speeds up the heart rate, increases blood pressure and fosters blood clot formation. Carbon monoxide lowers the amount of oxygen the heart gets. This can be a deadly combination.
The good news is that once you quit, your risk immediately starts to drop. After 1 to 2 years of not smoking, you’ll be much less likely to get heart disease (not to mention varying forms of cancer and emphysema).
Next week we’ll look at other risk factors for heart disease in women and what changes can be made to reduce those risks. I hope you’re sharing these facts with the women in your life. Valentine’s Day is on its way… what a great gift you can give in helping them reduce their risk of this debilitating deadly disease.
One more thing, please give some serious consideration to making a donation to The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign. The more women we reach the more women will be on the winning side of this battle! Have a great weekend.
Hudson Valley Community College is teaming up with The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. The ultimate goal is to improve research in this area, increase action for a women’s heart health, as well as to increase awareness.
Every day, from now through Friday, Feb. 6, I will post various facts about women and heart disease as well as suggestions for prevention. I hope you keep reading. Prevention starts with knowledge.
Please consider making a donation today!
Donations may be made with the following volunteers:
–Tanya Hicks (ADM 240)
–Tara Bocketti or Deb Larkin (GUN 252)
–Vonnie Vannier or Tara Farley-Wyckoff (BTC 1042)
–Mary Musso (MCD 214)
–Cathy Campchero (BRN 008)
Published: Fri, 30 Jan 2015 12:58:34 +0000 by m.musso