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Heart Disease

Women need to take heart when it comes to coronary heart disease. While many women believe cancer is more of a threat, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. Nearly twice as many women die from heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular diseases than all forms of cancer.

Controlling Your Risk

Age, a family history of heart disease and having a previous heart attack can all increase a woman’s risk of heart disease. While woman can not control these factors, there are other behaviors that can put women at higher risk. High cholesterol and blood pressure, tobacco use, physical inactivity and obesity can all take their toll on a woman’s life—and put her at increased risk for heart disease.

In addition, high triglyceride levels, excessive alcohol consumption and stress can also put women at higher risk.

Making Prevention a Priority

Prevention is key to fighting heart disease. St. Luke’s offers opportunities for women to take charge of their health and stop heart disease in its tracks.

  • Spirit of Women offers Know Your Numbers events each year to give women an opportunity to get their blood pressure, lipid and glucose checked. In addition, HeartCaring is a Spirit of Women program centered around prevention, identification and treatment of heart disease—helping women reduce their risk.
  • CT Heart Scans which use images of the heart’s arteries to find blockages in the vessels—a risk factor of heart attacks—are offered right on St. Luke’s campus.
  • St. Luke’s Center for Heart and Vascular Health offers a comprehensive set of non-surgical cardiology procedures to help you regain optimal heart health.