Women and Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Maury Regional Medical Center offers residents in our region outstanding heart care, from our ability to open blocked vessels in a matter of minutes to interventional procedures, pacemaker and defibrillator implants.

The American Heart Association states:

• Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
• Only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease.
• The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood.

“While heart disease remains the number one killer of all women, the risks for heart disease may vary based on family history, ethnicity and age. Women are encouraged to discuss their risk factors with their primary care physician and hypertension—or high blood pressure—is among the early warning signs that you may be at risk. Increasing awareness about the threat of this disease is imperative to reducing the number of women who die from heart disease each year.”

- Cathy Malone, Administrative Director of Cardiovascular Services

lowering your risk for heart disease

While certain risk factors such as age, gender and family history cannot be changed, women can reduce their risk for heart disease by taking steps such as:

• Keep blood pressure under control
• Stop smoking
• Manage cholesterol
• Get plenty of exercise
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Manage blood sugar levels

Learn more about heart disease and how it affects women from the American Heart Association.