Heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the U.S. “One of the facts I tell women is that a woman between the ages of thirty and fifty who has a heart attack is twice as likely to die with that heart attack than a man in that age group,” says Priscilla Hedberg, MD, cardiologist at St. Paul Heart Clinic and medical director for HealthEast women’s HeartAdvantage. In order to help you prevent this silent killer, we asked Hedberg what advice she gives her patients and what red flags you should look out for.

In Your 20s
As we move into our twenties, we are often changing doctors due to our age and needs as well as locale. It is extremely important to familiarize that doctor with any family history of heart disease and diabetes as well as if you have ever had a heart murmur, Hedberg says. Your doctor can then track you more closely if need be and recommend any lifestyle changes or medications that might be necessary to reduce your risk of heart disease.

In terms of prevention at this time, Hedberg says that if you are smoking, stop. “I can’t emphasize that more,” she says. “If you look at the incidence of tobacco use across all ages in the population, this is the only age group where it is increasing—and it is such a modifiable factor at preventing heart disease.” Of women who have heart attacks under the age of fifty, smoking tends to be a primary ingredient, Hedberg adds.