Almost twice as many women die from heart disease in the United States as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Hypertension, high cholesterol and high serum triglycerides are risk factors that may stem from a combination of causes. Although age and a family history of heart disease are not controllable, many other factors can be modified to lower risks.
Age
As women grow older, their risk of heart disease continues to rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women age 65 and older, the second leading cause of death for women between the ages of 45 to 64, and the third leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 44. Estrogen given alone or in combination with another hormone, such as progestin, for replacement therapy may increase your risk for heart attacks, stroke and serious blood clots in the legs, according to Drugs.com.
Alcoholism
Women are physiologically more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than men. Because the female body has a higher fat content, alcohol becomes more concentrated in the bloodstream and is also retained longer. According to Jean Kinney, author of "Loosening the Grip", men also produce more alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme in the stomach that breaks down alcohol before it reaches the blood, than women do. Despite adjustments for body weight, females are subject to the toxic effects of alcohol abuse at lower rates of consumption. Alcohol's pressor effects elevate blood pressure, damaging blood vessels over time and causing the heart to work harder. The cardiac muscle eventually weakens, causing heart failure. Damaged blood vessels may become blocked with fatty deposits, leading to heart attack. If alcohol and nutritional deficiencies deplete electrolytes, the result could be irregular heartbeats, or cardiac arrhythmia, says Kinney. This condition could lead to sudden death.
Weight Gain
Women who are overweight are more likely to have coronary artery disease, which reduces blood flow to the heart and causes angina, or chest pain. Distribution of body fat is very important. Accumulation of adipose tissue, or fat, around the waist is associated with heart disease and diabetes. The Mayo Clinic asserts that independent of weight, a waist measurement greater than 35 inches is high risk. Belly fat produces hormones that increase resistance to insulin, creating high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes. Over time, excessive glucose damages blood vessels, increases serum fats, and causes plaque to build up in arteries. According to the American Diabetes Association, women who have type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those without diabetes.
Tobacco and Contraceptives
Smoking constricts arteries and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women. Daily exposure to secondhand smoke at home or at work also increases the risks. The use of hormonal birth control such as the pill, patches or ring increases a woman's risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. Also, they are not recommended for women over 35 and those who smoke.
