Women, don't be foolish with your heart

Sari P. Setiogi The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Women, if you think heart and cardiovascular diseases are solely a man's problem, then think again.

According to the World Heart Federation, a U.S.-based non- governmental organization dedicated to the prevention of heart disease and stroke, every year over eight million women worldwide die from the diseases, the highest causes of death among women.

The figure is almost 18 times higher than deaths caused by breast cancer and six times higher than HIV/AIDS-related deaths. In developing countries, half of all deaths of women over 50 are caused by heart disease and stroke.

Concerned about the facts, this year's World Heart Day, which fell on Sept. 28, was themed "Women, heart disease and stroke".

In Indonesia, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death among women, the chairman of the Indonesian Heart Foundation (YJI), Laksmiati A. Hanafiah, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

She said women were more prone to heart disease after menopause. "After menopause, women's estrogen levels decrease."

Estrogen helps control cholesterol in a woman's body. After menopause, women become five times more vulnerable to stroke than men of the same age.

Separately, a cardiologist from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Fathema Djan, said women's arteries and organs were by nature relatively narrower and smaller than men's, which makes women more susceptible to cardiac problems.

"Arteries can easily become clogged due to high cholesterol levels caused by a high intake of fatty meat and dairy products," she said.

Fathema said a balanced diet helped keep one's heart healthy. It is best to eat a balanced diet from an early age.

"Consuming more oatmeal is good as it can eliminate the 'bad' cholesterol that sticks to artery walls," she said.

Women are also more likely to have a higher pain threshold than men. "In most cases women often mistaken take heart pains for something else," said Fathema.

She said the mortality rate due to heart disease had reached 26.3 percent in Java and Bali, while the highest rate was recorded in Sumatra at 30 percent.

"Eating habits in Sumatra involve relatively high cholesterol," she said.

On top of the list of risk factors is smoking, followed by diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and physical inactivity.

Oral contraceptives also increase the risk of heart disease.

It would be better for both women and men to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk every day can also help halve the risk of heart disease.

In conjunction with World Heart Day, YJI organized a fun walk in Bandung on Sunday, with some 2,000 people participating.

------------------------------------------------------------------- Tips for a healthy heart: ------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Quit smoking and avoid passive smoking as much as possible. (2) Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and a variety of whole grain products. (3) Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk is best. (4) Visit your physician once a year if possible to have your weight and cholesterol measured to monitor your level of risk. (5) Relax, enjoy a loving relationship.

Source: World Heart Federation --------------------------------------------------------------------