Drs John Coffin and David Acorn
Family Medical Practice
0844 477 3088

Keeping Healthy

Women's Health

This is a special section for the strongest sex!

It's a fact that women live longer, but it may surprise you to know that the disease that kills most women is the same as in men, that is, coronary heart disease (CHD).

This page deals with heart disease in women, but you can find out about the problems that are special to women in the Women's Health menu on the left.

Coronary Heart Disease in Women

Five times as many women die from heart disease as from breast cancer, yet many women see heart disease as a man's problem.

Angina, chest pain on exertion, is one form of coronary heart disease (CHD). Angina can be disabling and limit your enjoyment of life.

So what can you do to reduce your chances of developing heart disease?

How to reduce your risks of heart disease

1. if you smoke try to stop, see the pages on  our smoking cessation service to see how we can help, or see our contacts section for information about help lines
2. get your blood pressure checked, if you haven't had it measured in the last 5 years. One of our nurses will be pleased to help.
3. check your waist measurement. If it is over 32 inches you are probably at increased risk. There is an association between having a big tummy "the apple shape" and heart disease. You need to try and lose weight.
4. eat a healthy diet. See our section on healthy eating and try and have five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
5. get active, just walking at a moderate speed for five days a week for half an hour could cut your risk of a heart attack in half. Check out the page on exercise before you start

You can calculate your risk of heart disease and compare it with other women of your age on www.riskscore.org.uk

Notes on using the calculator

• You will need to know your cholesterol, and your systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the first of the two numbers of your blood pressure reading, for example if your blood pressure is 135/85, the systolic blood pressure is 135
• You don't need to know your creatinine level to use the calculator.
• If your doctor hasn't told you that you have left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement of the heart), then assume you don't have it.
• If you don't know your blood pressure or your cholesterol level, why don't you see one of our nurses for a check up.

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