Women with pre-term delivery, gestational diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis at higher risk of heart disease

WOMEN WITH PRE-TERM DELIVERY, GESTATIONAL DIABETES AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AT HIGHER RISK OF HEART DISEASE

MARCH 8, 2019 @10 AM

Throughout the world, 15million deaths are due to circulatory disorders such as strokes, heart disease and diseases related to the vascular system. 50% of these mortality rates are from heart disease which kills people in their prime, between 45 – 65 years of age.

Dr Dewi Ramasamy, Consultant Cardiologist, Gleneagles KL pointed out further that in Malaysia; the incidence of coronary artery disease increased exponentially from 2007 – 2017 with 54% of cardiovascular deaths.

“Two thirds of women who have heart attacks do not present with any symptoms,” she said, adding that 26% of women aged 45 and above die within a year after their first heart attack, compared to 19% of men.

Dewi who was presenting at the “Because My Heart Matters”, organised by MAA Medicare Charitable Foundation in conjunction with International Women’s Day also emphasised that women who are diabetic are three times at higher risk of cardiovascular deaths compared to non-diabetic women.

“The incidence of complications of heart attack in diabetic women are much more compared to a diabetic male.”

Risk factors
While traditional risk factors for older men and women include hypertension, diabetes, physical inactivity, hyperlipidaemia and obesity, women below 55 who have pre-term delivery, gestational diabetes, hypertension in pregnancy, pre-eclampsia or chronic hypertension are all at higher risk of having heart disease later in life.

“In addition, breast cancer treatment, auto-immune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis may also pre-dispose women to heart diseases later in life. Apart from these, women who smoke are 25% at higher risk of coronary heart disease compared to men.”

“Women should also be disciplined and nip the habit as smokers who are on oral contraceptives have higher chances of heart attack and stroke,” she said.

The event participated by 80 women of various age groups earlier, began with a free health screening and a destress yoga exercise session conducted by Revathi M.