The program began with Dr. Fran Witt, the President and CEO telling the crowd what to expect in this program.
Witt, who was a nurse by training, told the group that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. She said, “Cardiovascular disease impacts some women more than others, but fortunately most cardiovascular diseases can still be prevented with education and healthy lifestyle changes.”
Here are 10 other facts from the American Heart Association’s Go Red Campaign that you need to know about women and cardiovascular disease:
1. Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined and yet only 44% of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.
2. Among females 20 years and older, nearly 45% are living with some form of cardiovascular disease and less than 50% of women entering pregnancy in the United States have good heart health.
3. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and accounts for over on-third of maternal deaths. Black women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.
4. Overall, 10% to 20% of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increase a women’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
5. Going through menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, but the approach of menopause marks a point in midlife when women's cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate, making increased focus on health during this pivotal life stage is crucial.
6. Most cardiac and stroke events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes, such as moving more, eating smart and managing blood pressure.
7. 51.9% of high blood pressure deaths, otherwise known as hypertension or the “silent killer,” are in women, and out of all women, 57.6% of Black females have hypertension — more than any other race or ethnicity.
8. While there are an estimated 4.1 million female stroke survivors living today, approximately 57.5% of total stroke deaths are in women.
9. Women are often less likely to receive bystander CPR because rescuers often fear accusations of inappropriate touching, sexual assault or injuring the victim.
10. Only 38% of participants in clinical cardiovascular trials are women. We need more women in STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, to represent our interests in future medical research.
Dr. Witt stressed to the group that, “We have the power to change our lifestyle and impact our own outcomes.”
The guest speaker for the day was Dr. Kendall Griffith who heads Effingham Cardiology. Dr. Griffith spoke in terms the average person can understand and used various visual aids to clearly explain what happens when our lifestyles negatively impact our hearts. He told the group, “Your lifestyle – your choices can make you live longer.” He went on to say that, “What you put in your mouth can not only determine longevity but your quality of life.” He echoed Dr. Witt’s comments by saying that heart disease causes more women’s deaths than all cancers including breast cancer.
“Men and women often experience angina in different ways”, he said. “Men might feel chest pains while women often had a shortness of breath or just a feeling of not feeling well.” Dr. Griffith said that his own sister died of this at age 45 and that’s why he chose to go into this field.
Dr. Griffith talked about having AFib, calling it one of the silent killers. He said when this occurs the blood sits and clots, causing a stroke. He said that every minute following sudden cardiac arrest decreases your chances of surviving by 10%.
The crowd was left with some good news, though, with his saying that exercising just 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week could strengthen your system.
Dr. Griffith is a board-certified Interventional Cardiologist, obtaining his education at Morehouse College, the University of Miami School of Medicine, his Residency at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and a Fellowship at the Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida.
