Skip to main content

Risk of Coronary Artery Disesae

I’m a 62-year-old woman and a friend of mine recently had a heart attack. I smoke and I worry about my risks for coronary artery disease. Is there anything I can do?

There are many ways to reduce your risk of coronary artery disease. One of the most important is to quit cigarette smoking. This alone could reduce your heart attack risk by 30-40%. Talk to your healthcare provider about smoking cessation–there are several medications that can help you quit.

Regular exercise can also promote heart health. One study from last fall showed a large risk reduction for women who exercised at least 30-40 minutes five times a week. You can work your way up to this gradually, even by parking further away from destinations and steadily increase walking distances.

Your provider can help you with other risk factor reduction. Cholesterol screening is important, and both “good” (HDL– high-density lipoprotein) and “bad” (LDL– low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels are important to know. Depending upon your risk factors, you may need medications to lower your bad cholesterol or raise your good cholesterol to certain targets. Blood pressure also needs to be controlled–you should get this checked regularly and if it runs above 140/90, it should be treated to reduce your cardiovascular risk. Exercise and weight loss can help, but medications may also be required. Some health care providers are also checking an inflammatory marker called C-Reactive Protein (CRP) to better assess heart attack risk; this may or may not be useful in your case.

Many women ask me if they should get a “stress test” or echocardiogram to evaluate their heart. At present, there is no role for EKGs, stress testing, or echocardiography in women without symptoms. However, you should let your provider know if you have symptoms such as chest pain, increasing shortness of breath with exertion, palpitations, neck, arm, or shoulder pain with exertion, or increasing dizziness or light-headedness.

You Might Also Enjoy...

How Can I Know If I’m in Menopause?

A hot flash here, a mood swing there — is this it? Have you begun the “change of life?” Despite these signature symptoms, you may not have officially entered menopause. Here’s how to tell.

The Link Between Fibroids and Constipation

Constipation is an uncomfortable but common part of life that usually means you need to change your diet, drink more water, or get more exercise. But it may surprise you that it can also indicate problems with uterine fibroids. Here why.

What Causes Incontinence?

Incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine, which can become a big hassle. Learn more about what causes urinary leakage and what you can do about it.

What Can I Expect at My Prenatal Visits?

Prenatal visits are a big part of your pregnancy, but if this is your first pregnancy, you may not know what these special appointments entail. Keep reading to learn all about what to expect from your prenatal visits.