When it comes to heart disease, the woman’s heart is not that different from a man’s heart. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer among American women regardless of age, race or ethnicity. Heart disease kills one in three women, twice as many as all forms of cancer combined, but heart disease also can lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life. Both heart disease and stroke are known as cardiovascular diseases, which are serious disorders of the heart and blood vessel system.

Many American women think that heart disease is a man’s disease. They don't pay attention to the risk factors of heart disease, which include high cholesterol, poor nutrition, smoking and obesity. If you have these risk factors talk to a doctor. It’s important to be honest (even if you’re a little embarrassed about your smoking or overeating habits) so the doctors can assess your risk for heart disease as accurately as possible. What goes on during a heart exam depends on the patient’s risk factors, history of heart problems, current symptoms and the doctor’s interpretation of the patient’s risk factors.

A doctor will usually perform a simple test first, such as a chest x-ray and EKG, to measure the electrical impulses in the heart. The doctor may then want to order an ejection fraction, a test that measures how much blood the left ventricle is pumping out of the heart with each contraction. The doctor may also order an echocardiography, an ultrasound test that uses sound waves to examine the heart’s structure and motion.

Other tests a doctor may order include a computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging. These tests are noninvasive, or in other words they don’t involve using needles or tubes.

Other tests such as radionuclide ventriculography involve injecting a small amount of radioactive dye into a vein and then taking pictures as the heart pumps.

In its new guidelines for preventing heart disease in women, the American Heart Association recommends that women stop thinking about heart disease as a "have-or-have-not" disease and realize that the disease develops overtime. For this reason, the guidelines suggest that from age 20 on women live heart-healthy lifestyles.

The guidelines include five strategies, recommended for every woman.

1. Do not smoke – doctors say this is the most powerful and preventable risk factor for heart disease.
2. Exercise – You can reduce your chance of heart disease by 30 to 50 percent by staying active.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet – This does not necessarily mean cutting back on food intake. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish or foods with omega-3 fatty acids, and fibers such as whole grains and oats.
4. Maintain a healthy weight – Excess weight makes your heart work harder and puts more pressure on the walls of your arteries.
5. Know your numbers – Have your blood pressure and fat levels checked regularly and know what ranges are acceptable.
   

Heart disease is not just a man’s disease and it can often be prevented once people understand how to make the necessary changes. To find out more about healthy hearts for women, talk to your doctor or call USC University Hospital at 1.800.USC.CARE.