Minority Women's Health

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Heart Disease

Minority Women's Health > Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians > Health Topics > Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Heart disease is a group of diseases of the heart, including the heart's blood vessel system. Coronary heart disease, the most common type, affects the blood vessels of the heart. It can cause angina or a heart attack. Angina is a pain in the chest that happens when the heart does not get enough blood. It may feel like a pressing or squeezing pain, often in the chest, but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Having angina means you're more likely to have a heart attack. A heart attack happens when a blood vessel is blocked for more than 20 minutes.

Signs of a heart attack:

• pain or discomfort in the center of the chest for more than 20 minutes
• pain or discomfort lasting more than 20 minutes in other parts of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• other symptoms, including shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air), breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), or feeling faint

Other symptoms women may have include:

• unusual tiredness
• trouble sleeping
• problems breathing
• indigestion (upset stomach)
• anxiety (feeling uneasy or worried)

If you have any of these symptoms, call 911.

Overall, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian women have much lower rates of heart disease than women of other minority groups. Yet, heart disease is still the second leading cause of death for this group. Heart disease risk and death rates are higher among Native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans (Asian Indians) partly because of higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, not exercising, and smoking all put women at risk for heart disease. You can help prevent heart disease by not smoking, and by controlling your blood pressure, cholesterol, and your weight.

You have the power to fight heart disease! Read on for some tips on keeping your heart healthy.

• Don't smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. For help along the way, check out our Quitting Smoking section.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Get moving. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, most days of the week. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or, walk during breaks at work.
• Eat heart-healthy foods. Eat whole-grain foods, vegetables, and fruit. Choose lean meats and low-fat cheese and dairy products. Limit foods that have lots of saturated fat, like butter, whole milk, baked goods, ice cream, fatty meats, and cheese.
• Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) and blood glucose (sugar).

Publications

1.   For Your Heart - This portion of the womenshealth.gov web site will escort you through a short, confidential survey of questions about your health and lifestyle. Based on your answers, it will provide you with a series of articles detailing the latest information on exercise, nutrition, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other factors that affect you and your risk for heart disease - all tailored to your needs.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart/

2.     Filipinos Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Be Active for a Healthy Heart - This easy-to-read, bilingual Tagalog and English booklet explains the importance of daily physical activity in the prevention of heart disease.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/filipino_facts/filipino-pa.pdf...

3.     Filipinos Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Serve Up a Healthy Life - Give the Gift of Good Nutrition - This easy-to-read, bilingual Tagalog and English booklet talks about the heart health benefits of proper nutrition. In this color brochure, Filipino readers may learn about heart healthy cooking and eating tips.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/filipino_facts/filipino-nutrition.pdf...

4.   Frequently Asked Questions - Physical Activity (Exercise) - This publication contains information on the benefits of exercise, why it is important, when to check with your healthcare provider, and how exercise can help people of all ages.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/exercise.htm

5.   Heart Disease and Asians and Pacific Islanders - This web page provides up to date statistics about Asian Americans and heart disease, obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, smoking and more.

   http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3060

6.   Take Care of Your Heart - For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - The NDEP's "Take Care of Your Heart" campaign encourages Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with diabetes, and their families, to take steps now to reduce their risk of heart attacks or strokes, the leading killers of people with diabetes. This web site links you to the different Asian-language versions of this campaign.

   http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/TCH/TCH_materials_AsianAm.htm

7.     Vietnamese Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Be Active for a Healthier Heart - This easy-to-read, bilingual Vietnamese and English booklet explains the importance of daily physical activity in the prevention of heart disease.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/viet_facts/viet-pa.pdf

8.     Vietnamese Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Serve Up a Healthy Life - Give the Gift of Good Nutrition - This easy-to-read, bilingual Vietnamese and English booklet talks about the heart health benefits of proper nutrition.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/viet_facts/viet-nutrition.pdf

9.   Asian Indians and Heart Disease (Copyright © AAPI) - This brochure contains facts and statistics about Asian Indians and heart disease. It discusses who should be tested, why, and what the test involves.

   http://www.aapiusa.org/pdfs/AAPI_CAD_brochure.pdf

10.   Asian/Pacific Islanders and Cardiovascular Diseases (Copyright © AHA) - This fact sheet provides statistical information about cardiovascular disease mong people identified as Asian American/Pacific Islanders.

    http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1199397765814FS03AS08.pdf

11. Why Should I Be Physically Active? (Copyright © AHA) - This American Heart Association fact sheet demonstrates the health benefits of living a more physically active life and explains how to appropriately exercise.

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3009620

Organizations

1.   Administration for Children and Families
2.   CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation
3.   Heart Truth: A National Awareness Campaign for Women about Heart Disease, The
4.   Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC), OMH, OPHS, OS, HHS
5.   President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, OPHS, OS, HHS
6.   Weight Control Information Network, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
7. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
8. American Council on Exercise
9. American Diabetes Association
10. National Asian Women's Health Organization
11. Women's Sports Foundation
12. WomenHeart - National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2007