Support Go Red For Women by participating in National Wear Red Day® on Friday, February 2, 2018. By doing so you help support educational programs to increase women’s awareness and critical research to discover scientific knowledge about cardiovascular health.
Our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends are at risk. Heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women each year — more than all cancers combined. Fortunately, we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action.
Here are a few ways you can help prevent heart disease and stroke:
Schedule a Well-Woman Visit
A Well-Woman Visit is a scheduled prevention check-up to review a woman’s overall health so her doctor can measure blood pressure, check cholesterol and look for signs of heart disease, stroke and other illnesses.
Document your health habits and your family health history
Know your family health history before your Well-Woman Visit. Family history can be a significant – and often unknown – risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Encourage and educate
Encourage your family and friends to take small steps toward healthy lifestyles to improve health and to reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke.
Explain “What it means to Go Red”
Get Your Numbers: Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.
Own Your Lifestyle: Stop smoking, lose weight, be physically active and eat healthy.
Raise Your Voice: Advocate for more women-related research and education.
Educate Your Family: Make healthy food choices for you & your family. Teach your kids the importance of staying active.
Donate: Show your support with a donation of time or money.
Cardiovascular disease in women: What you need to know
1. Cardiovascular diseases and stroke cause 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds.
- An estimated 44 million women in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular diseases.
- Approximately 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke.
2. Approximately 80 percent of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education.
- The symptoms of heart attack can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood – even by some physicians.
- Fewer women than men survive their first heart attack.
3. Heart disease and stroke affect women of all ethnicities.
- Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for African-American and Hispanic women.
4. When you get involved in supporting Go Red For Women by advocating, fundraising and sharing your story, more lives are saved.
- Today, in the U.S. about 285 fewer women die from heart disease and stroke each day.
- Cardiovascular disease death in women has decreased by more than 30 percent over the past 10 years.
For more information, please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).
