Heart Disease in Women

Shireen: I know that heart disease is a big problem for women in the United States right now. So I would like to ask, what can younger women say, college-age women do to protect themselves especially those women who have a family history of high cholesterol and other risk factors?

Robert Robeson: It's very important to know what the cholesterol level is, specifically what is the concentration of the bad cholesterol, the LDL cholesterol. After we know the LDL cholesterol, we evaluate other risk factors. Does she smoke? Does she have high blood pressure? Is she overweight and does she have an abnormal blood sugar? When we evaluate the full cardiovascular risk profile, we can make decisions as to whether she should be on lifestyle changes alone or medications.

What are some of the easy things to do? Reduce the intake of fried foods, reduce the intake of meat products and reduce the intake of eggs. Increase the intake of fibers such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables. Be active, keep your weight down. These are some of the fundamental issues that help keep the cholesterol under control.


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