Common Medical Health Threats for Women
By Karen J. Gordon

What's your biggest health concern? Cancer? Heart attack? Stroke? Our fears and concerns may be based on family history, experiences we've had with friends and co-workers, or things we've read or heard on the news. In this article, I'll review four of the most common medical health threats to women as reported by the Mayo Clinic Staff in their article "Women's top health threats: A surprising list" (url below). Please note that the following information is presented as a basic overview and does not take the place of consultation with a medical professional as indicated.

According to the Mayo article, four of the most common causes of death for women in the United States are as follows:

Using information gathered from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC), I'll provide a brief overview of each health threat as well as describe things you can do to lower your risk.

HEART DISEASE

Although we often hear about people who've suffered a heart attack, we don't necessarily realize that heart disease is a significant health threat to women. There's a prevailing myth that it's a man's domain, but the facts don't support the myth. Heart disease is very much a woman's problem, and it's the number one killer of both women and men in America.

There are several things that can put a woman at risk for heart disease. Some are out of our control such as aging, family history, and race. Diabetes is also a risk factor. Factors we do have control over are smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. Lack of physical activity is also a risk factor for heart disease, as is obesity. Another thing that puts us at risk is second-hand smoke.

To lower our risk for heart disease we can do the following:

CANCER

Most of us are aware that cancer poses a major health threat, but would you be surprised to find out that lung cancer kills more women in the United States than breast cancer? In the U.S., breast and colorectal cancer are also leading causes of women's cancer deaths.

In 90% of the cases, lung cancer deaths are caused by cigarette smoking. According to a National Cancer Institute fact sheet, tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the U.S.

Rates of breast cancer around the world vary, but higher incidences are found in industrialized countries. One risk factor of developing breast cancer is family history. Another is lifestyle, including diet and exercise. Environmental exposures are another cause of this disease.

Cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer) affects women and men equally and is most often found in people over the age of 50. Risk factors include age, family history, and diets high in fats and calories and low in fiber. Another risk factor is a sedentary lifestyle.

Through regular screening tests, this disease can be found early and treated. If screening detects an abnormality, the health care provider can make the diagnosis and begin treatment promptly.

Some of the ways we can lower our risk of cancer are as follows:

STROKE

According to the Mayo Clinic article, stroke is the #3 killer of women in the United States. People who have a family history of stroke are at higher risk. After the age of 55, the chance of having a stroke doubles for each decade of life. Other risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. In addition, hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are linked to increased risk of stroke.

The effects of a stroke can vary considerably, and if treated promptly there may be little or no brain damage or disability. However, a stroke can lead to severe brain damage, disability, and, in some cases, death. Stroke also can cause weakness or paralysis of one side of the body, problems with memory, mood swings, difficulty with speech and eating, pain, and depression.

To lower your risk of stroke you can do the following:

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD includes bronchitis and emphysema, but is an overall term used to describe a group of chronic lung conditions. People often have chronic bronchitis and emphysema together, and as the diseases progress, the quality of life diminishes. Women have higher rates of bronchitis than men, and more men suffer from emphysema. However, the number of women diagnosed with and suffering from emphysema is increasing.

According to the Canadian Lung Association, one of the main known causes of COPD is smoking. Other risk factors include environmental and occupational exposures to chemical fumes. For people who are smokers, air pollution is also a risk factor.

To lower the risk of COPD and other lung diseases:

Does your biggest health concern fall within this list? If so, there are things you can do to lower your risk for these diseases. Begin by providing your health care provider with a complete family history, exercise regularly, don't smoke, eat a diet rich in fiber and low in saturated fat, and for your overall health, find ways to manage your stress. You can find more information on these common health threats at the following web pages:

Mayo Clinic Staff article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=WO00014
4Woman.gov http://www.4woman.gov/
Cancer Information Service http://cis.nci.nih.gov/
Canadian Lung Association http://www.lung.ca/copd/intro/causes.html
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation http://www.komen.org

© 2005 Karen J. Gordon