smoking and a family history of the disease.
“Compared to men, the symptoms of heart
disease are more subtle, like tiredness and
indigestion,” says Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, past
president of the American College of Physicians
and a board-certified doctor of internal medicine in Atlanta.
Fryhofer recommends that women age 18 to
39 find a good primary care doctor, be aware of
their family history and focus on prevention
behaviors like exercising, eating a healthy diet,
not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.
For women age 40 to 59, a doctor may
order Cardio IQ testing to better evaluate a
patient’s risk for developing heart disease.
The series includes tests that check cholesterol,
triglycerides, inflammation and apolipo-proteins, a specific set of proteins associated
with genetic disorders that raise a woman’s
risk for heart disease.
A
Women’s march of time
Observe certain medical milestones
for a lifetime of good health
by AISHA LANGFORD
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s a busy single woman, college student,
mom, worker, business owner or
retiree, do you find it hard to exercise,
eat right, manage stress and stay on top
of health screenings? Here are some common
health conditions that affect women, and steps
to take at various life stages to help you stay as
healthy as possible.
Heart disease
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for
women in the United States. One in four women
will die from the disease. Risk factors for heart
disease include age ( 55 or older), poor diet, high
blood pressure, diabetes, being overweight,
