Heart Disease

Even the most mindful woman may not recognize her number one health threat - heart disease.

"Women and Heart Disease: Myths, Magnitude, and Management," the recent edition of the We Care for You brochure series produced by the Office of Health Promotion at Baylor College of Medicine, provides the fundamentals of heart disease that are all too often ignored by women and the medicalfield.

"We are so worried about breast cancer that we tune out the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of women older than 25 years old," said Dr. Karla Kurrelmeyer, assistant professor of medicine-cardiology at BCM. "Cardiovascular diseases kill twice as many women as all forms ofcancer combined."

Due to this lack of attention, women are generally under-treated for heart disease. To avoid becoming a statistic, Kurrelmeyer encourages women to take a proactive role in their health care. The following are simple wayswomen can reduce their risk of heart disease:

* Don't smoke.
* Eat a healthy diet.
* Exercise regularly.
* Maintain mental wellness.
* See a physician regularly.
* Get enough sleep.

"Although all women are susceptible to heart disease, they can manage their health through awareness, healthy behaviors, aggressive treatment, and a partnership with their physicians," said Kurrelmeyer. "The controllable risk factors for heart disease can be improved through simplelifestyle changes."