Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart Disease
Heart disease is a group of diseases of the heart and of the blood vessel system within the heart. Coronary heart disease, the most common form of heart disease, affects the blood vessels (or coronary arteries) of the heart. It causes angina and heart attacks. Angina is a pain in the chest that happens when a part of the heart does not get enough blood. It feels like a pressing or squeezing pain, often in the chest under the breastbone, but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina seldom causes permanent damage to the heart, like a heart attack. During a heart attack, you can feel chest pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or comes and goes, spreading pain to one or both arms, back, jaw, or stomach, or cold sweats and nausea. Some women don't have these symptoms but may have other symptoms, such as an upset stomach, burning feeling in the upper abdomen, and lightheadedness. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 or see a health care provider right away. A heart attack can cause permanent damage to the heart and maybe even death. Heart disease is the main cause of death for American women. Overall, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian women have much lower rates of heart disease than women of other minority groups, but it is still the leading cause of death within their own group. Heart disease risk and death rates are higher among Native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans (Asian Indians) partly because of higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, not exercising, and smoking all put women at risk for heart disease. You can help prevent heart disease by not smoking, and by controlling your blood pressure, cholesterol, and your weight.

Stroke
There are two types of stroke. An ischemic (iss-kee-mik) stroke happens when a blood vessel that goes to the brain is blocked, and blood can’t get to the brain. A hemorrhagic (heh-muh-ra-jik) stroke happens when a blood vessel breaks and blood goes into the brain. Sometimes a person can have a “mini stroke,” or transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a stroke that happens when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked for a short time and less blood reaches the brain. A stroke could cause problems that may affect speech, language, movement, vision, balance, hearing, breathing, and swallowing. A stroke could also cause death. Among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, the risk of stroke is higher at ages 35-64 than for Whites. There are other medical problems that put you more at risk for a stroke, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, having already had a stroke or mini-stroke (TIA), and carotid artery disease.

To avoid heart attack and stroke, the American Heart Association advises people to take the following steps:

• Don't smoke.

• Control your blood pressure. Ask your health care provider what a healthy number is for you and how often you need your blood pressure checked.

• Eat healthy.

• Lower your cholesterol to the right level, based on your personal risk. Talk to your health care provider about a healthy level for you.

• Get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.

• Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your health care provider what a healthy weight is for you.

• Have a normal fasting blood glucose level (below 110 mg/dL). Ask your health care provider when you should be tested.