Matters of the Heart

Heart disease, opens new tab is the leading cause of death among women. Yet, they often put off visits to the doctor because they are embarrassed about their weight. That's a bad idea.

Surprising Stats

A survey of 1,011 women, opens new tab published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, revealed the following:

• 26% said they were embarrassed about having heart disease because they thought it was linked solely to their weight
• 40% saw a doctor in the past year, but their visit didn’t include a heart assessment
• 45% didn’t know heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women
• 45% said they canceled or postponed a doctor’s appointment because they wanted to lose weight first
• 63% said they sometimes put off a visit to the doctor

Three Heart Disease Facts

Every woman should know:

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.
• You can modify your risk factors, opens new tab with weight loss and exercise.
• A Mediterranean diet, opens new tab is great for heart health.

Don’t “Weight”

Postponing a medical appointment to lose weight can be a dangerous decision. Excess weight increases your risk of heart disease, even more so when combined with other health conditions. When you skip appointments, you could miss early warning signs.

It’s disappointing to see the numbers on the scale rise with age and menopause, but you have to start somewhere. Use the doctor’s visit as your starting point. Make it a goal to lose those extra pounds by the next visit. At the very least, set a goal to become physically stronger and start an exercise plan. Try not to focus on the number on the scale. When you start exercising, you create muscle, which weighs more than fat.

Be Open

Many women withhold health concerns from their doctor out of embarrassment or fear of bothering the doctor with something minor. Keeping mum during your visit can hurt your health. Honesty is always the best policy. Doctors don’t mind listening to your health concerns. Even if you feel it’s minor, they want to know about it because it may be part of a bigger issue.

If your doctor doesn’t specifically ask about your heart during a checkup, mention it. Tell your doctor if you have palpitations, chest pain or a strong family history of heart disease.

Whether you need emergent heart care or just some help managing your heart health, North Kansas City Hospital can help. Explore our heart care services, opens new tab and find a Meritas Health cardiologist, opens new t.

Prevention and Screenings

NKCH offers simple painless, inexpensive and lifesaving tests that don't require and doctor's referral. Request an appointment for a Calcium Scoring Cardio Scan or call Patient Scheduling for a Carotid Artery Evaluation.


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