Facts
State and national facts about heart disease and stroke.
Risk Factor
What is a risk factor? What can put you at risk for developing heart disease or having a stroke?
Warning Signs
A list of warning signs that may indicate heart disease or stroke. What to do if you have these warning signs.
Early Detection
Learn about the methods the Iowa Care for Yourself WISEWOMAN Program uses to help find heart disease and stroke warning signs early.
Death rates from heart disease and stroke have declined, yet the burden of disease remains high.
A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of getting heart disease, stroke or another disease.
Having risk factors for heart disease or stroke does not mean you will get the disease. Some people have several risk factors and never get the disease. Others, however, get the disease with little or no risk. This is why finding heart disease, stroke, or their risk factors early is so important.
Heart disease and stroke have several risk factors. Risk factors include:
A women can't control age, race or family history, but she can stop smoking, eat well, become more active, and lose weight if needed.
Women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are more likely than men to be short of breath, have nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
During a heart attack, symptoms typically last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or medications taken by mouth. Symptoms can start as mild discomfort and progress to significant pain.
If you think you are having a heart attack, DO NOT DELAY. Call for emergency help (dial 911 in most areas). Treating a heart attack quickly is very important to limit damage.
Stroke often does not cause pain. If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, get help immediately!
See your doctor if you have symptoms that seem like a stroke, even if they go away quickly. You may have had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini-stroke. A TIA is a warning that a stroke may happen soon. Getting early treatment for a TIA can help prevent a stroke.
If you think you are having a stroke, DO NOT DELAY. Call for emergency help (dial 911 in most areas). Treating a stroke quickly is very important to limit damage.
Early detection could save your life!
Not all heart attacks and strokes can be prevented, but finding risk factors early means earlier treatment. Earlier treatment can mean a better outcome.
The Iowa Care for Yourself WISEWOMAN Program does the following tests to find heart disease and stroke risk factors early:
Measuring blood pressure helps detect and manage high blood pressure. The Iowa Care for Yourself Program follows National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines for measuring blood pressure which call for two readings taken at least two minutes apart. If the two readings differ by more than 5 mmHg, a third reading should be taken.
National clinical screening guidelines urge a complete fasting lipid panel to test for high cholesterol. The test should include HDL ("good") cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The American Diabetes Association recommends fasting blood glucose to test for diabetes. For a woman already diagnosed with diabetes, a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is done instead, to check diabetes control.
The BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. Being overweight or obese increases disease risk, especially for:
Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.
Smoking increases heart disease and stroke risk. Women who smoke are offered help to quit through Quitline Iowa or local programs.
Knowing a woman's history of heart disease and stroke risk helps program staff know how to help her or what programs or services in her community might be helpful.
Family history can tell program staff and the health care provider what risks a woman is most likely to have.
Staff use the information collected and some questions about diet, physical activity, and readiness to make lifestyle behavior changes to match each woman with appropriate lifestyle change information and community programs or services.
www.nhlbi.nih.gov: This site provides great information in its "Health Information for the Public" section on blood pressure, cholesterol, weight control, heart diseases, and heart attack.
www.goredforwomen.org: Have fun learning about heart disease and its risks and learning to prevent them! Ask questions, find recipes, blogs, and social networking, and choose your moves to fight heart disease in women.
www.womenheart.org: Read survivor stories, share your story, and get support from women with heart disease and its risk factors.
For more information, contact your local Care for Yourself, program or call (800) 369-2229 or (800) 735-2942 (V/TTY).
You may also use the "Contact Us" page to submit questions online or write to us at:
Iowa Care for Yourself Program
Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection/WISEWOMAN
Iowa Department of Public Health
Lucas State Office Building
321 East 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
