The increasing incidence of heart diseases in women during the past decade indicate that about 12 to 15 percent of women are at higher risk. According to the Head of Department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitaiton at Asian Heart Institute, factors such as stress, smoking and lack of physical activity increases your chances of heart diseases. Other factors such as erratic work schedules, late pregnancy and hormonal problems may out women at higher chances of heart diseases.
Late pregnancy
If you get pregnant after 40, you are at higher risk of heart diseases. As you age, the endothelial cells which are cells lining the blood vessels starts degrading slowly. This dysfunction causes the arteries to become stiff which leads to high blood pressure and can worsen if your have high cholesterol since it will thicken the blood which will cause an excessive build-up of plaque in the arteries thereby lead to arterial blockage. It can also put you at risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension which is also a risk factor for the heart disease in women.
Working in shifts
If you work at a call centre of a BPO which includes working in shifts, its high time should start thinking about your heart health. Working in shifts and late nights will increase your risk of heart diseases. It affects the sleep pattern and also shifts the body clocl which will increase the level of stress hormones. Lack of sleep and constant exposure to stress will stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines which will damage the blood vessels and lead to cholesterol deposits on the walls of arteries.
Endocrine problems
Currently, women in their 20s and 30s are suffering from heart diseases and the key reason for this is lack of active lifestyle. Endocrine problems such as type 1 diabetes, thyroid imbalance will increase your risk of cardic arrest and other heart diseases. Additionally, the adrenal gland tumor that increases the section of adrenaline hormone will lead to abnormal heart rhythm, which will worsen the heart health of women.
Supplements
Doctors usually recommend intake of calcium supplements for pregnancy or menopausal women since the risk of calcium loss from body increases with age. Thefore the inclusion of calcium supplements in your diet is very significant. However, the excess intake of calcium supplements causes stiffness of arteries due to deposition of calcium which will increase the pressure in the arteries. The hypervitaminosis or excess intake of vitamin A and E will increase blood pressure and cardiac abnormalities and hence it will increases the risk of heart diseases in women.
Final Verdict
If you ignore the above risk factors of heart diseases then it can lead to heart attack and other life-threatening conditions such as paralytic shock. This can increase the diabetic ketoacidosis due to high levels of glucose in the blood and blood pressure.
You should follow these expert tips to lower your risk of heart diseases:
- Monitor your blood pressure and blood glucose levels by checking it every six months
- Never take any supplements without a doctor prescription
- Walk for 30 minutes at least five times a week and follow yoga or meditation regimen at least 2-3 days in a week to improve your heart function
- Say no to smoking- both active and passive smoking as they increase the risk of heart diseases
- Regular follow-up with a doctor is a must as it will help you keep a tab on your heart health and monitor for any complications.
