The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

Go red for women

Briana Hayes
Staff Writer

Although February is a short month, it honors and brings awareness to something that is quite prevalent in our society: heart disease.

Besides celebrating red hearts, cupid arrows and love, February pays tribute to the importance of the human heart and its role in the human body.

While heart disease is a common cause of death among American men and women, it is actually the number one cause of death among women. In fact, it is more deadly than any form of cancer to women.

Heart disease causes one in every three deaths each year for women. This equals just about one death every single minute. A minute is not a long period of time, but that is all it takes to claim the life of a woman with heart disease.

In 2012, new information came out regarding a women’s heart disease awareness study that was done in Dallas, Texas.

The study’s main goal was to determine how much women actually understood about heart disease. In 1997, the American Health Association commissioned a national survey to assess women’s knowledge.

One interesting finding was that younger women had the tendency to not discuss heart disease with their doctors. In addition, women aged 25-34 years old had the lowest awareness group at 44 percent.

The American Heart Association initiated a program known as Go Red for Women. This organization is centered on informing women about the risk of heart disease, how to prevent it, about risk factors, and how women can support each other.

Heart disease can be caused by many factors and affects the blood vessels and cardiovascular system. A common cause is atherosclerosis, a condition that develops when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries. When the arteries become narrow due to the plaque, blood flow decreases.

Heart disease can also take its form in heart valve conditions, abnormal rhythm of the heart, and heart failure. Heart failure is the most severe, and occurs when the heart is not pumping well or getting enough oxygen.

Even though there are multiple causes, prevention can be accomplished through the avoidance of risk factors.

For example, you can decrease risk factors by not smoking, lowering your cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, and being aware of your family history.

Another important factor to keep in mind, especially for women and college-aged-students, is stress management. Stress is your body’s response to change. The body reacts to stress by releasing adrenaline that causes your sympathetic nervous system to increase your heart rate and blood pressure. This is a normal reaction and is known as your “fight or flight” response.

The problem occurs when chronic stress occurs, which keeps your blood pressure and pulse constantly high. This increase in heart rate and pressure can lead to heart disease.

Reducing stress may seem impossible when it comes to all of the exams and extracurricular activities that consume our lives, but by taking extra steps, stress reduction can be accomplished.

Examples of ways you can reduce stress is through exercise, relaxation, yoga, and meditation. Although it takes a little extra time to de-stress, it will be well worth it for your overall health.

Heart disease is becoming more well-known among women, and Go Red for Women works to ensure that awareness continues to grow. National Heart Disease Month is February so it is important to keep it in mind.

Go Red for Women is working to bring heart disease into the minds of every women so that together we can overcome this unknown killer and work to create a unified stand against it.

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