Go Red Day brings No. 1 killer into focus

Connie McCoy, the information coordinator for the city of Nevada has been keeping an eye on national events, with a focus on making people aware of observances that are occurring from month to month. This week brings National Wear Red /Go Red For Women day, on Feb. 3.

On this day, millions of Americans will be wearing red to show their support for women and the ongoing battle against heart disease. National Wear Red Day has its own dress code and its easy to guess what it is -- red!

Heart disease is the number one killer of women and of men, according to the American Heart Association, which has provided a plethora of information that is free to access and available to the public.

The American Heart Association reported that in 2002 more than 44 million American women had reached the age of 50, which is the age when most heart problems begin. It is important to note that more women than men die of a stroke and that regular physical activity and maintaining healthy weight reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, which appears to be an even stronger contributing factor for heart disease in women.

Most strikingly, heart disease is more challenging to diagnose in women than in men.

The majority of studies conducted in the United States did not include women in their surveys. Also, women are more likely than men to have atypical symptoms of a heart attack such as; neck and shoulder pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shortness of breath. Women are also more prone to have misleading "false positives" for Cardiovascular Artery Disease, than men. Women lack an understanding of their risks, especially minority women who have the highest risk of death from heart disease and stroke. A 2002 study reported by the American Heart Association reported that, Coronary Heart Disease claimed the lives of 241,622 females compared with 41,514 lives from breast cancer and 67,542 lives from lung cancer. The American Heart Association says factors that contribute to heart disease include cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, diabetes, Physical activity and family history; for more information visit the American Heart Association's Web site at americanheart.org.

Heart disease is a massive problem, but many are not quite sure about the differences between heart disease and a stroke, another serious health risk for women. The American Heart Association describes a stroke as a disruption of the blood supply to or within the brain. There are four main types of strokes, two are caused by blood clots and two by cerebral hemorrhaging. Statistically, women are prone to severe strokes at an older age than men and remain more disabled then men. Researchers are finding that the gender differences related to heart disease and stroke is ongoing. However despite the crippling facts there are ways to prevent heart disease and stroke. A healthy diet, exercise and regular visits to your physician will reduce your risks, according to the American Heart Association. "Women need to care about our hearts. People are living longer lives now than ever. Everyone has a least one woman in their lives that they care about, hopefully it will make a difference," said McCoy.

The Center for Disease Control in coordination with the state of Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services launched a state heart disease and stroke prevention program in 1998. In doing so, the organization has released the following information: in Missouri the leading cause of death is heart disease, which accounts for 16,708 deaths -- 30 percent of the deaths in Missouri. Researchers also have found that 82 percent of Missourians are at risk for heart disease and stroke. The program is currently at work distributing Automatic External Defibrillators to the Office of Rural Health as well as working with various other areas in Missouri. The department also offers a program titled, "WISEWOMAN," which stands for Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation, offering women ages 40-64 access to preventative health services and programs. They advise women to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a days as well as a variety of low fat foods. They provide suggestions such as parking farther away from work to encourage walking greater distances. Researchers also advise women to try to take the stairs rather than the elevator, as well as getting at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Nevada Regional Medical Center currently has cardiologists who treat patients in the area as well.