Preventing Cardiovascular Disease: Tips for Living Heart Healthy

Sobering facts about cardiovascular disease's impact on women - and some concrete steps you can take to live heart healthy - are available in new American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for preventing cardiovascular disease in women.

More than 38 million American women are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to the AHA report, and nearly all women are at risk for CVD - the lifetime risk for all women is 1 in 2. The report's numbers about the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in women jump out at Ann Rossi, ACNP, MSN, R.N., an acute care nurse practitioner at the University of Virginia Health System.

"Cardiovascular disease is the no. 1 cause of death for women, (and) one-third of women in the U.S. have cardiovascular disease," Rossi says.

The key message from the report, Rossi says: "Cardiovascular disease is preventable!"

You should work closely with your healthcare providers to develop a heart-healthy strategy that works best for you. A good place to start, Rossi says, is to "know your numbers - your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. How do they compare to the guidelines?"

Here are some of the AHA report's recommendations:

  • Ideal weight - Women should have a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 and a waist size of 35 inches or less.
  • Blood pressure - The study suggests that a woman's optimal blood pressure should be less than 120 mmHg systolic pressure over 80 mmHg diastolic pressure.
  • Exercise - A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, most days and preferably daily. If you're trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss, the AHA guidelines recommend 60 to 90 minutes of moderate physical activity most days and preferably daily.
  • Diet - The AHA recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain and high-fiber foods and fish. Oily fish, such as salmon or tuna, are recommended at least twice a week. Women should also limit the amount of saturated fat they eat, have no more than one alcoholic drink per day, consume less than a teaspoon of salt per day and eat as little trans fat as possible.
  • Smoking - The AHA recommends women not smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.

Consult your physician for more information.