The devastation caused by covid-19 was dramatically accentuated when the Leading Cause of Death statistics thus far in 2020 were released. Covid-19 is now in third place behind heart disease and cancer. A year ago, no one in the world had heard of this disease; it has now killed over 1 million people worldwide and has risen to third in the rankings of causes of death in America.
But numbers 1 and 2 continue to kill us. Recently the journal Circulation published the 2019 American Heart Association Survey of Women's Cardiovascular Disease Awareness and compared the results to the previous study done 10 years ago. In 2009, 65 percent of women knew that heart disease was the leading cause of death for women. By 2019, that percentage had dropped to 44 percent. Ten years ago, almost two-thirds of women knew that heart disease was their greatest threat. In 10 years, less than half knew.
The inaccurate information was held primarily by young women; women over age 65 had more accurate responses. Why is this important? Women need to know what the threats are. In 2018, over 400,000 women died of heart disease and stroke. But over half of women do not know heart disease is their greatest threat. And the sooner in life a woman begins dealing with prevention, the more likely it is that the disease will be avoided.
The survey had some other troubling data. Many women did not associate certain symptoms as a warning sign of a heart attack. Ten years ago, 17 percent of women knew that tightness in the chest was a heart attack warning sign; 17 percent is far too low, but 10 years later the number had dropped to less than 6 percent.
What can women do to prevent dying from the No. 1 killer, heart disease? The three key risk factors are elevated blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, and smoking. Approximately half of Americans have one of these risk factors; but fortunately, with proper diagnosis, commitment, and appropriate treatment, these risk factors can be controlled.
There are so many good reasons to eliminate tobacco in our lives, but quitting smoking is an extremely significant step for preventing heart disease. Of course, not everyone knows they have these risk factors. Those regular annual visits that your doctor and your insurance company want you to have can be lifesavers.
There are some additional risk factors that contribute to the development of heart disease. Diabetes, being overweight, eating an unhealthy diet, inactivity, and alcohol can add to the risk.
Nothing on this list is a surprise. And all of these can be improved by a commitment to a healthier way of living. Eating better (and maybe less), moving more, and decreasing alcohol intake can help. It is so easy to say these things: eat less, move more, less alcohol. It is not always easy to do. But a commitment to prevention can work.
I have seen far too many women die years before they should have, but I have also seen women change their health habits for the better. And as the years go by, the risk of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of American women, can significantly improve.
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Vic Snyder is the corporate medical director for external affairs at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield.