High Blood Pressure

  • Also known as hypertension, blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries when your heart beats.
  • You are more likely to have high blood pressure if you have a family history of high blood pressure.
  • Other factors that contribute to high blood pressure include, eating unhealthy food, not exercising and being overweight.

High Cholesterol and Triglycerides

  • Cholesterol is a waxy-like fat found in all cells in your body and in meat/dairy products. There are two types of cholesterol, Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and High-density lipoprotein (HDL).
  • High LDL levels are bad and can lead to cholesterol buildup in the arteries.
  • High HDL levels are levels are good and help to lower the total cholesterol level in the body. 
  • Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. High triglycerides may raise women’s heart disease risk more than men’s heart disease risk. 
  • Note: The only way to determine your cholesterol and triglyceride level is to see your doctor for a blood test.

Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes

  • Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s blood sugar level is too high because the body doesn’t make enough insulin or use it properly.
  • Over time, high blood sugar can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries. In turn, this raises the risk for CHD

Obesity

  • The more overweight you are the more you are at risk for heart disease. Extra weight makes your body larger so the heart has to work extra hard to pump blood throughout your body.
  • Women that carry more fat on their waist (apple shape) are more likely to have CHD as opposed to women who carry more fat on their hips and thighs (pear shape).

Metabolic Syndrome

  • Metabolic Syndrome is another name for a group of risk factors that overall raise your risk for heart disease. If you have any 3 of the following 5 risk factors, you most likely have metabolic syndrome.
  • Waistline measurement of >35 inches
  • Triglyceride level > 150mg/dL
  • HDL Cholesterol Level <50 mg/dL
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood sugar level

Sleep Apnea

  • You are more likely to have high blood pressure if you have a family history of high blood pressure.
  • Sleep apnea is a disorder where you have one or more pauses or shallow breathing when you sleep. They can last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes.
  • When you stop breathing the lack of oxygen flow triggers your stress hormones causing your blood pressure to rise which makes your blood more likely to clot. 

Depression

  • Statistics show that depression affects twice as many women as men. Depression can hurt your heart’s ability to beat correctly.
  • It can also speed up the process of plaque build-up in your arteries.
  • Most people with depression get better with therapy and medicine.

Websites Used: 

  1. https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-disease-and-stroke/heart-disease/heart-disease-risk-factors/health-conditions
  2. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hdw/atrisk
  3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease/art-20046167?pg=1
  4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease/art-20046167?pg=2