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Heart disease is
the number one killer in the United States, and women are
15 percent more likely to die of it than men, according to
the American Heart Association.
American women
with heart disease make up the largest health risk group,
yet more than half (52 percent) of them said, in an unprecedented
national survey, they are dissatisfied with the medical care
they’ve received. Further, 57 percent said they suffered
mental illness due to the disease, including anxiety (17 percent),
clinical depression (38 percent) or a combination of the two
(21 percent).
While the number
of men dying from heart disease annually dropped from 510,000
in the 1980s to 440,000 today due to advances in treatment
and diagnosis, the number of women dying annually has risen
during this time--from 490,000 to 510,000.
The survey of 204
women focused on how the disease influenced the women’s
quality of life.
Results indicated
that 58 percent of the women attributed the problem to physician
attitudes and communication styles; 27 percent had family
relationships deteriorate as a result of the illness; 45 percent
felt the symptoms "came out of the blue" compared
with just 35 percent who said they recognized symptoms early
on; and 42 percent of women said they had to change their
work schedule or quit their job due to the disease.
Women are also
more likely than men to suffer from depression, which may
explain the increased risk of heart attack. Depressed women
are less likely to take care of themselves and are therefore
more likely to die early from heart disease.
Researchers say
that doctors should not overlook the mind-body connection
when treating patients and should look to improve patients’
quality of life in order to promote long-term wellness.
WomensHeart.org
January 24, 2003
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