Heart disease is a group of diseases of the heart and of the blood vessel system within the heart. Coronary heart disease, the most common form of heart disease, affects the blood vessels (or coronary arteries) of the heart. It causes angina and heart attacks. Angina is a pain in the chest that happens when a part of the heart does not get enough blood. It feels like a pressing or squeezing pain, often in the chest under the breastbone, but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina seldom causes permanent damage to the heart, like a heart attack. During a heart attack, you can feel chest pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or comes and goes, spreading pain to one or both arms, back, jaw, or stomach, or cold sweats and nausea. Some women don't have these symptoms but may have other symptoms, such as an upset stomach, burning feeling in the upper abdomen, and lightheadedness. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 or see a health care provider right away. A heart attack can cause permanent damage to the heart and maybe even death. Heart disease is the main cause of death for American women. Overall, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian women have much lower rates of heart disease than women of other minority groups, but it is still the leading cause of death within their own 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.

Publications

1. For Your Heart - This portion of the NWHIC 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.

2. Diet and Exercise: Healthy Balance for a Healthy Heart (Copyright © AAFP) - This publication provides information on how diet affects your heart health. It contains tips for a "heart-healthy" diet as well as information on how exercise can help maintain that heart health.

3. Energize Yourself! Stay Physically Active - This booklet provides specific information on becoming more physically fit and identifies steps to promote healthy lifestyles among African Americans.

4. Frequently Asked Questions - 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.

5. Physical Activity and Health, A Report of the Surgeon General: Fact Sheet - Women - This report of the Surgeon General addresses the benefits of physical activity for women.

6. Stay Young at Heart - Cooking the Heart Healthy Way - Carrot-raisin bread? Barbecue chicken? Baked pork chops? Heart-healthy pumpkin pie? Sound too good to be true? The 12 recipes in this packet will convince you that healthy dishes can also be delicious. Each recipe also lists total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calories per serving.

7. 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.

Organizations

1. Administration for Children and Families

2. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America

3. American Council on Exercise

4. American Diabetes Association

5. CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation

6. Heart Truth: A National Awareness Campaign for Women about Heart Disease, The

7. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, OPHS, OS, HHS

8. Weight Control Information Network, NIDDK, NIH, HHS

9. Women's Sports Foundation

10. WomenHeart - National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease