According to a survey report, more than 68 percent of women above 35 years of age in Delhi are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The three-year-long survey known as Saffola Life, which is India’s largest study on the risk factors causing heart diseases, said that Indian women are at an increased risk of heart diseases at present as compared to three years ago. As per the report, obesity, a key factor closely related to a heart disease, is highest among women above 35 years of age in the capital city.
The study was conducted in twelve leading metro and non-metro cities of India covering 1.6 lakh urban Indians. While 32 percent of the respondents were female, 92 percent of all female respondents were less than 60 years of age. ‘Cardiovascular diseases in women are caused due to low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and high body mass index (BMI). Apart from this smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure are other reasons putting women at risk of cardiovascular diseases,’ said Praveen Chandra, chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta – The Medicity, citing the report.
He said that sedentary lifestyles, stressful work conditions and compromised diet also contribute in accelerating heart disease risk. ‘It is alarming to note that women aged 35-44, which includes both housewives and working women, are at the greatest risk of cardiovascular disease,’ Chandra said. The report also stated that Delhi has the second highest percentage of women smokers in the country and this is one of the prime factors that is putting women at the risk of CVD. Other findings of the report reveal that women in metro cities are not making their nutritional needs a priority which again puts them at risk of CVD.
Charu Dua, chief dietician, Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital said: ‘High saturated fat, sugar and salt intake, rising stress levels, smoking and lack of physical activity are a few of the major contributory factors for deterioration of heart health in women’. ‘In terms of the dietary aspects – 68 percent of the Delhiites consume less than two servings of whole grains in a day and 43 percent consume less than two servings of vegetables a day,’ she said.
Why are women more prone to heart disease?
It’s true that more number of women die due to heart disease than breast cancer or cervical cancer. Earlier, cases of heart attacks were exclusive to post-menopausal women but now even younger women seem to suffer from them. Women, in general, have higher death rate than men due to heart attacks because of the fact that the symptoms of heart disease in men and women are different. Women usually don’t suffer from chest pain associated with heart attack. Unlike men, who develop blockage in the major arteries, women usually have block in smaller arteries which does not get detected in heart function tests like angiography.
Apart from these, the following reasons have made women more prone to heart disease:
- Increased stress: Majority of women in urban cities have to handle their work life and responsibilities at home. Hectic schedules make their life more stressful, increasing their risk of heart disease.
- Smoking and drinking: It’s surprising to see the rise in the number of women smokers these days. According to recent estimates, of the more than 5 million people who die every year from tobacco use, approximately 1.5 million are women.
- Use of oral contraceptives and hormone therapy: Earlier when the risk of heart disease was found to be greater in post menopausal women, it was clear that reproductive cycle has some role to play in preventing heart disease in women. Researchers believe that oral contraceptive pills used for birth control increases the risk of blood clots (thrombosis). According to the Women’s Health Initiative there is clearly an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women taking menopausal hormone therapy. Read about other factors that increase risk of heart disease in women.
With inputs from IANS
Image Source: Getty Images
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