WORLD HEART DAY: PCOS can also be a factor for Heart attacks

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

29th September is observed to be World Heart Day. Every year about 12 million people throughout the world die or suffer heart attacks or strokes. This disease affects rich and poor people both. Most of people thinks that this is a disease of middle aged men, But the truth is that it affects men and women equally in fact women becomes more prone to it after menopause.

Researchers found that 25 percent of the woman had at least one miscarriage. But when looking at repeated miscarriages, the researchers found that women who had more than three spontaneous miscarriages had a nine fold increased risk of heart attack. Each miscarriage increased a woman’s risk of heart attack by 40 percent. Women who had at least one stillbirth were about 3.5 times as likely to suffer a heart attack.

Women with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) have a risk of heart attack 4 to 7 times higher than women of the same age without PCOS. Women with PCOS may have a higher rate of miscarriage because of elevated levels of luteinizing hormones, insulin or glucose. 

Smoking, more intake of tobacco, alcohol consumption, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, high bp , diabetes, lack of physical activity all these factors puts high risk for heart attacks. Maintaining unhealthy lifestyle makes you fat and leads to obesity and obesity is the biggest reason for heart attacks. The more risk factors, the higher the risk.

You can protect yourself from heart attacks and strokes by investing a little time and effort; please follow below mentioned tips for a healthy heart:

• First of all quit smoking and tobacco intake. Also stop inhaling from other person’s cigarette
• Indulge yourself in some physical activity for at least 30 minutes in a day like walking, jogging, gardening, exercise or anything
• Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day
• Limit the fat, sugar and salt in your diet. Consult your GP for that
• Go for a complete body check up once in a year like blood pressure, blood sugar, check your weight, BMI, cholesterol levels, calculate fat in your overall body etc.
• Take medication on time 
• Encourage people around you for lifestyle modification
• Reduce stress levels, talk to your friends, family members. Always indulge yourself in gathering; it will help in lighten your mood and thereby reducing stress.