...Cardiovascular Disease in Women Cardiovascular diseases are conditions that involves the blood vessels, the heart, or both. The cardiovascular system, also called the circulatory system, moves blood throughout the human body. It is composed of the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. It is the most leading cause of death in women regardless of race or ethnicity at an alarming rate of 455,000 deaths in the United States (Bonow p. 1757. 2012). Our Lord Jesus has designed us after his own heart, not only in the human flesh, but also mind, and spirit, our heart is where the Holy spirit lives, the book of Psalms tells us, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart” (Psalm 86:11 NIV). Coronary Heart Disease in Women - Symptoms Symptoms of Coronary heart disease are, chest pain, pressure, or squeezing; and pain radiating to the neck. Also shoulder pain, back, arms or jaw pain. Heart burn,...
Words: 615 - Pages: 3
...CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN Richard Allen Williams, M.D. Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine President/CEO, Minority Health Institute, Los Angeles, California Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has long been considered a disorder which principally affects men in our society; consideration of the occurrence of heart attacks in females, for example, has been largely an afterthought. In the past few years, however, it has become increasingly obvious that this is not a problem limited to males, but that it occurs with great frequency in women. We now know that CVD is the cause of death more than any condition in women over the age of 50, including cancer (1) and in fact is responsible for more than a third of all deaths in women (2). It is estimated that 370,000 women in the United States die from heart disease each year. However, our knowledge base regarding CVD in African American (AA) women has not kept pace with the accumulation of data on white females. Thus, there is a deficit of information about this subgroup and the prevalence of CVD despite the fact that black women have more risk factors for CVD than do white women (3). The purpose of this paper is to review the subject of CVD in African American women and to focus upon four principal CVD categories: Coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, stroke, and congestive heart failure (CHF).The impact of gender and race on each of these...
Words: 2577 - Pages: 11
...Modifiable Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease By: Fawn R. Stephen-Odle June 2012 Cardiovascular disease is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and includes coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), raised blood pressure (hypertension), peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, and heart failure. The major causes of cardiovascular disease are tobacco use, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet and harmful use of alcohol. Unfortunately, there are four non-modifiable risk factors that contribute to CVD (cardiovascular disease). Race and Ethnicity: Race and ethnicity have quite a bit to do with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Studies show that African Americans have a higher risk for Cardiovascular Disease because of higher blood pressure levels, overweight and obesity, compared to Caucasians. Higher blood pressure levels are among the highest in African Americans in the world. Mexican Americans and Native Americans are also at higher risk for heart disease because of higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and smoking. Studies also show that about 77% of African American women, 72% of Mexican American women, and 61% of Native American women are overweight or obese, compared to 57% of Caucasian women. Taking precautions such as eating a proper diet, exercise, lessen use of alcohol, and quitting smoking can reduce a person’s chances of contracting Cardiovascular Disease. All races and ethnicities...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Women and Men A Sex-Specific Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, MS Maria C. Roncaglioni, MD Fausto Avanzini, MD Ierta Pangrazzi, MD Gianni Tognoni, MD David L. Brown, MD pirin therapy for reducing the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and vascular death among men and women with preexisting cardiovascular disease are well established,1-3 the role of aspirin in primary prevention is less clear. An overview of 5 randomized trials investigating aspirin therapy for the primary prevention of vascular disease found a significant beneficial effect of aspirin therapy on the prevention of a first MI, but no significant effects on the risk of stroke or vascular death.4 Although women were included in only 2 of these studies and accounted for only 20% of the population studied, the US Preventive Services Task Force5 and the American Heart Association6 deemed aspirin therapy effective in decreasing the incidence of coronary heart disease in adults of both sexes who are at increased risk. Subsequently, guidelines from the American Heart Association on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women recommended use of low-dose aspirin therapy in women whose 10-year risk of a first coronary event exceeds 20% and consideration 306 Context Aspirin therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults who are at increased risk. However, it is unclear if women derive the same benefit...
Words: 7157 - Pages: 29
...Effects of Disease on the Health Care Industry: Cardiovascular disease HCS/245 Patricia Talbert Due: 03/16/2015 University of Phoenix Material Effects of Disease on the Health Care Industry: Cardiovascular Health Complete the table below for 2 diseases that you have chosen that affects cardiovascular health. In each box, you are required to list 3-5 bulleted statements regarding the heading of that box. Cite your sources using APA format. This section is due in Week Three. |Chosen Cardiovascular Disease |Treatment Modalities |Cultural Beliefs/Practices |Epidemiological Statistics |Available Consumer Resources |Impact on Society | |or Disorder | |Affecting this Disease | |(ex. financing, information, support) | | |Coronary Artery Disease |Quitting smoking and avoiding |Heart disease is a man's disease. |Cardiovascular diseases cause |The CDC addresses heart disease. Great |According to the Centers for Disease | | |secondhand smoke. |(MYTH) |nearly one-third of all deaths |source for researching information. |Control and Prevention, heart disease | | | | ...
Words: 817 - Pages: 4
...Cardiovascular Disease Information Cardiovascular Disease Information Cardiovascular disease is one of the most deadly disease in the world. An estimate of five million and each year and more than half of million new cases. Cardiovascular disease refers to a poorly heart that cause fluid o back up in the heart, lungs and other organs. The heart pumps blood through the body and then returns it through the lungs. When the heart fails, the muscles become weak or valves become ineffectual, the heart enlarges. Blood builds up in the heart and in the other parts of the body, like the lungs, liver and the legs. Cardiovascular disease starts from an unnoticeable condition called the asymptomatic and progress to a severely debilitating disease. Another cause could be the decrease of abnormal blood supply to the muscle or a problem within the heart structure, the muscles or the valves. There are many ways an individual can avoid getting this disease, it all comes down to how you live your life. Controlling your cholesterol, blood pressure and keeping a lean weight are some of the ways you can avoid and prevent getting this disease. Toxic agents, drinking alcohol, chemotherapeutic and many others can cause damage to the heart muscle. In our society, individuals consume a lot of foods that has a lot of fat in it and a lot of individuals are not living an active lifestyle. A key part of preventing this disease is the food you take in, exercising at least 30 minutes and not smoking...
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR PAPER 1 Cardiovascular Paper: R.G.’s Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease CARDIOVASCULAR PAPER 2 Cardiovascular Paper: R.G’s Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease In almost every year since 1900, cardiovascular disease has been the number one cause of death in the United States. Nearly 2300 Americans die of CVD each day, and average of one death every 38 seconds. This disease kills more people than the next four causes of death combined, including cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents and diabetes. Of particular concern is that CVD is the leading cause of death for women (Ignatavicius and Workman, 2013). Risk Factors Gender According to, Huether and McCance (2012) more women in the United States die from coronary artery disease and stroke than from all cancers combined. Women have a higher rate of CAD related mortality than men, in part because of under diagnosis and treatment. Menopause is associated with increased exposure to risk factors and poor endothelial healing. Endogenous estrogen is said to be protective of vascular function and when this is reduced after menopause hits the risk of CAD increases. Postmenopausal women are two to three times more likely than premenopausal woman to have CAD. Diabetes Diabetes mellitus is an extremely important risk factor for CAD. Insulin resistance and diabetes have multiple effects on the cardiovascular system including endothelial damage, thickening...
Words: 1067 - Pages: 5
...Lifestyle and disease preventing Lifestyle diseases are those conditions usually attributes to the unhealthy ways human live their lives. They can include atherosclerosis, asthma, some kinds of cancer, chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic renal failure, stroke and obesity. As our world becoming more and more industrialized, the pace of our lives is speeding up, those diseases appearing to increase in frequency. Lifestyle diseases have become common problems that needed our attention. One major lifestyle disease is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease has become the world’s major cause of death. According to statistics, it is responsible for over 30% of total global deaths (Murray & Lopez, 1996). As the average lifetime expectancy rising, the number of people at risk of cardiovascular disease is also increasing. This number could keep growing due to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle and the rapid rising in obesity children and teenagers. There are many risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as age, family history even gender, but it is believed that serum cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking are the major modifiable factors, which are strongly relate to one’s lifestyle (Hobbs & Arroll, 2009). Positive lifestyle changes are very important to prevent and manage cardiovascular disease. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors that for atherosclerotic...
Words: 1019 - Pages: 5
...Heart Disease The heart is described as a strong muscle about the size of your fist that pumps blood continuously through the circulatory system through a network of elastic type tubes throughout the body. It helps make up the cardiovascular system, which consists of arteries, capillaries, and veins. Over time the heart can develop many problems such as blocked arteries caused by a buildup of cells, fat, cholesterol. This build up is commonly known as plaque. These conditions eventually lead to Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease. Heart disease is described as a range of diseases that affect the heart. There are several diseases that can be classified as heart disease. These diseases include diseases of the blood vessels, known as coronary artery disease; arrhythmias, which are complications with heart rhythm; heart infections; and heart defects you're born with, described as congenital heart defects. Heart disease can also be referred to as cardiovascular disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain, or stroke. There are many risk factors that play a role in the development of heart disease. These factors include age, family history of CAD, ethnicity, uncontrolled cholesterol, and uncontrolled blood pressure, and diabetes, lack of physical activity, obesity and smoking. Heart disease also happens to be the number one killer amongst women. Women...
Words: 941 - Pages: 4
...Introduction As of last year, it was reported that over a million Canadians have heart disease, which also ranks as one of the major causes of death in Canada 1. Additionally, cardiovascular disease claims more than 33,000 lives each year. Furthermore, about ninety percent (9 out of 10) Canadians over the age of twenty years have at least one risk factor for heart disease, and of this number, forty percent (4 out of ten 10) have three or more risk factors 1. Various factors can increase the risk of heart disease - some of which can be controlled while others cannot. The uncontrollable risk factors include age, ethnicity and having a family history of heart disease; but controllable risk factors mainly comprise making lifestyle or behavioral changes such as smoking cessation and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, eating healthy, exercising regularly and reducing stress 1. Consequently, an individual can reduce their risk of heart disease by understanding the risk factors that cause it, and making changes to their lifestyle. The Dietary Guidelines for Canadians (Eating Healthy with Canada’s Food Guide) describes a healthful diet as one that emphasizes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products 2. Fruits and some vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C, which is a water soluble vitamin. Fruits with the highest sources of vitamin C include cantaloupe, citrus fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit kiwi fruit...
Words: 1287 - Pages: 6
...Chronic diseases are diseases or conditions that persist or progress over a long time. Chronic diseases develop slowly. Chronic illnesses are prolonged, do not resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely. There are many different chronic diseases, but the two biggest killers are cardiovascular disease and cancer, by far the leading causes of death in the United States as well as the rest of the world. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) comprises a group of diseases that includes two major categories: diseases of the heart and cerebrovascular disease (primarily stroke). Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cellular growth and reproduction. Cancer can occur in any part of the body, but we’ll discuss a few that are of the greatest importance to women’s health: breast cancer, lung cancer, cancers of the reproductive system, and a few others. More lives are claimed by CVD than by the next five leading causes of death combined. Cardiovascular deaths usually occur in later years when women are beset with a variety of comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, osteoporosis, and diabetes. The two major forms of CVD are heart disease and stroke; of these, coronary heart disease is the major killer. Strokes, however, also cause many deaths, and they disproportionately affect women—6 of 10 people who die from strokes are women. Cardiovascular disease imposes a heavy burden on the medical care system in the United States, particularly on...
Words: 1382 - Pages: 6
...Heart disease is known mainly as coronary heart disease (CHD). It is the leading cause of death in the United States among men and women. Coronary heart disease, a result of coronary artery disease, is a chronic illness that will occur when the coronary arteries narrow due to plaque buildup along the artery walls, thus constricting the blood supply to the heart. It can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, angina, myocardial infarction, and much more. As a community, we should be aware and well educated on what harmful risks we may face and should do our best to defend ourselves from these harms. Around the world, heart disease is the number one killer among most countries, specifically, the United States, Europe, and Asia. In developed...
Words: 699 - Pages: 3
...Cardiovascular Risk Factors “In almost every year since 1900, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the number-one cause of death in the United States. Nearly 2500 Americans die of CVD each day, an average of one death every 25 seconds. The disease kills more people than the next four causes of death combined, including cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, and diabetes” (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2010, p. 704). In order to manage the disease effectively, it is of major importance to identify risk factors. The purpose of this paper is to discuss several cardiovascular risk factors and how they contribute to the pathophysiology of CVD. Patient Profile Mrs. G.Y. is a 71-years old Hawaiian female of Chinese descent, admitted to the hospital for chest pain. Upon admission to the hospital, she was complaining of generalized weakness, chest pain, and dyspnea with any physical activity. Her health history includes: hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, aortic stenosis and osteoporosis. Past surgical procedures include tubal ligation. She is on a cardiac diet, is allergic to aspirin, never smoked, and never used illegal drugs. Cardiovascular Risk Factors By taking a quick glance at her medical record, she is at risk for cardiovascular disease, due to the fact that she is a postmenopausal female, over 65, has hypertension, she lives a sedentary life, and she has aortic stenosis. Other cardiovascular risk factors include cigarette smoking and obesity...
Words: 1371 - Pages: 6
...Introduction I. We are at higher risk of getting a cardiovascular disease if your male family members like your father or brother has suffered a heart attack before the age of 55, or your female relatives have suffered one before the age of 65. II. The risk is elevated to a 50% chance if both your parents have cardiovascular disease before the age of 55. Body I. Heart attacks and strokes are usually acute events and are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain. A. This occurs most likely because of blockage resulted from blood clots or fat build ups in the coronary arteries (World Health Organization (WHO) ). B. There are many risk factors associated with the coronary heart disease 1. The major risk factors are the tobacco use, alcohol use, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet (World Heart Federation). II. There no symptoms of the underlying disease of he blood vessels. A heart attack may be the first warning of underlying disease. Symptoms of the heart attacks include: A. Pain or discomfort in the centre of the chest. B. Pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw or back C. In addition the person may experience difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, feeling sick or vomiting, feeling light-headed or faint, breaking into a cold sweat, and becoming pale. D. Women are more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea...
Words: 586 - Pages: 3
...CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an abnormal functioning of the heart or blood vessels. Heart disease (HD) is a general term for a variety of heart conditions. The most common form of HD is coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease (CAD) because it involves the coronary arteries. Other types of CVD include hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke, congenital cardiovascular defects, hardening or narrowing (atherosclerosis) of the blood vessels, including the coronary arties, and other diseases of the circulatory system. The majority of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is caused by risk factors that can be controlled, treated or modified, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight/obesity, tobacco use, lack of physical activity and diabetes. However, there are also some major CVD risk factors that cannot be controlled. In terms of attributable deaths, the leading CVD risk factor is raised blood pressure (to which 13 percent of global deaths is attributed), followed by tobacco use (9 percent), raised blood glucose (6 percent), physical inactivity (6 percent) and overweight and obesity (5 percent). MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS: 1) Hypertension (high blood pressure) Blood pressure is measured as two numbers, written one over the other and recorded in millimeters of mercury – for example, 120/78 mm Hg. High blood pressure is defined as a repeatedly elevated systolic pressure of 140 or higher OR a diastolic pressure of 90...
Words: 2039 - Pages: 9
