Merchant & Gould is dedicated to helping take a stand against heart disease. February is American Heart Month and we begin by taking part in Wear Red Day to raise awareness of women’s risk for heart disease by wearing the color red, the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Declaration.

Facts About Heart Disease in Women

Do you know what causes heart disease in women? What about the survival rate? Or whether women of all ethnicities share the same risk?

The fact is: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. That’s approximately one woman every minute!

But it doesn’t affect all women alike, and the warning signs for women aren’t the same in men. What’s more: These facts only begin to scratch the surface.

There are several misconceptions about heart disease in women, and they could be putting you at risk. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health for this very reason.

Since its inception, the American Heart Association (AHA) has lead efforts in research, prevention and treatment of heart disease, providing knowledge-based solutions for people of all ages. And every year, the AHA works together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and other government agencies to compile the most comprehensive and up-to-date statistics on heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases.

These statistics are used by health researchers, clinicians, healthcare policy makers, media professionals and consumers, serving as a major source for monitoring the cardiovascular health of the wider population. Here are some of the latest findings.

General statistics

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
   
• Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
   
• An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease.
   
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
   
• Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease.
   
• The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood.
   
• While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease.
   
• Only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
   
• Women comprise only 24 percent of participants in all heart-related studies.

Hispanic women

• Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than Caucasian women.
   
• Only 1 in 3 Hispanic women are aware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer.
   
• Only 3 in 10 Hispanic women say they have been informed that they are at a higher risk.
   
• Only 1 in 4 Hispanic women is aware of treatment options.
   
• Hispanic women are more likely to take preventive actions for their family when it comes to heart health.

African American women

• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for African American women.
   
• Of African American women ages 20 and older, 46.9 percent have cardiovascular disease
   
• Only 1 in 5 African American women thinks she is personally at risk.
   
• Nearly 50 percent of African American women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
   
• Only 43 percent of African Americans know that heart disease is their greatest health risk.

These statistics represent only a fraction of the 2012 report featured in Circulation.

Resources:
www.Mylifeinred.net
http://www.goredforwomen.org/