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'Daily Dose': Heart Smart

Aired February 04, 2004 - 11:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: February is time for matters of the heart, and not just because it's Valentine's Day. It's also Heart Awareness Month. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for women. And a new campaign is aimed at helping women fight back.
Dr. Susan Bennett is a cardiologist with the American Heart Association. And she join us from Washington for our "Daily Dose" of health news. Dr. Bennett, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

DR. SUSAN BENNETT, CARDIOLOGIST: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's get right to these numbers. Not only is heart disease the No. 1 case of -- cause of death in American women, it far outstrips all the other ones that follow behind it.

BENNETT: It does. And women are very surprise to find that out. A lot of women think cancer, in particular breast cancer, is their No. 1 killer. It's a very important disease for us to be concerned about and get regular health checks about.

But it turns out that even for younger women, in their 30s, 40s and 50s, more women die of heart disease than breast cancer during those decades.

KAGAN: Women will be shocked to find that out.

The other thing you are trying to get out there, there are new ways of diagnosing and treating heart disease in women.

BENNETT: There are many things that we need to keep in mind when diagnosing and treating women with heart disease. One is that women need to realize they're at risk and they need to bring symptoms to the attention of their physician so they can get early diagnosis and proper treatment and aggressive care.

This is one of the things that we're trying to promote with Heart Awareness Month is that women really need to have it on their radar screen as a health issue.

KAGAN: I think there's two side to this. First, as the women, I think we don't know to be aware of this. Like you say, I think we're more attuned to things like breast, or perhaps, lung cancer.

But the doctor side is the other side of this. And perhaps doctors not taking symptoms seriously when women come in and complain.

BENNETT: Well, that has been an issue for a while. We're trying to do a better job educating physicians with respect to what kinds of tests are best to order for women and how aggressive we should be about things like blood pressure control and lipid control. All of those are very important.

One of the other things we want to stress to women is that you have to be active participants in your health care. You need to feel empowered. Come up with a list of questions that you need to get answered when you go in to see your physician. And we encourage every woman who's really over the age of 35 to have that conversation with their doctor on an annual basis.

KAGAN: What should that conversation be?

BENNETT: It should start out as, what's my risk of having heart disease or stroke? The conversation has to follow with respect to, is my blood pressure normal? Are my bad cholesterols too high? Is my good cholesterol too low? Do I smoke? Am I inactive? Do I need to lose weight?

And what's my family history? A lot of women feel since their mothers don't have heart disease they may not be at risk. But if their fathers have had a heart attack at an early age, less than 55, they have carried that risk.

KAGAN: Don't just look at Mom, look at Dad as well.

Another thing I pick up on that you're talking about, the good news is that we as women can empower ourselves. These are things that you don't necessarily have to get from the doctor when you talk about your weight, smoking, blood pressure, diet. These are all things that we can do for ourselves.

BENNETT: They are things that we can do for ourselves, but we have to have a good partnership with out care provider.

One of the important things to realize is that we are getting more aware. American Heart Association has shown that there is increasing awareness that women recognize heart disease as the No. 1 killer.

Still, not enough women recognize that and take it personally. But we have really improved things over the last three years.

KAGAN: And just one final question. I want to pick up on something else you said about younger women, this being a leading cause. I would include myself in this group under the impression that women in their 30s, 40s, that you're basically protected until you go through menopause.

BENNETT: Well there is a sharp increase. And it's not sharp so much, but a gradual rise in heart disease after menopause.

But there are many forms of heart disease including heart attacks that can strike young women. In particular if we see women who smoke, are diabetics, they are at very high risk of having a heart attack early. So we're not immune. KAGAN: Important to be aware. Dr. Susan Bennett with the American Heart Association.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 4, 2004 - 11:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: February is time for matters of the heart, and not just because it's Valentine's Day. It's also Heart Awareness Month. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for women. And a new campaign is aimed at helping women fight back.
Dr. Susan Bennett is a cardiologist with the American Heart Association. And she join us from Washington for our "Daily Dose" of health news. Dr. Bennett, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

DR. SUSAN BENNETT, CARDIOLOGIST: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's get right to these numbers. Not only is heart disease the No. 1 case of -- cause of death in American women, it far outstrips all the other ones that follow behind it.

BENNETT: It does. And women are very surprise to find that out. A lot of women think cancer, in particular breast cancer, is their No. 1 killer. It's a very important disease for us to be concerned about and get regular health checks about.

But it turns out that even for younger women, in their 30s, 40s and 50s, more women die of heart disease than breast cancer during those decades.

KAGAN: Women will be shocked to find that out.

The other thing you are trying to get out there, there are new ways of diagnosing and treating heart disease in women.

BENNETT: There are many things that we need to keep in mind when diagnosing and treating women with heart disease. One is that women need to realize they're at risk and they need to bring symptoms to the attention of their physician so they can get early diagnosis and proper treatment and aggressive care.

This is one of the things that we're trying to promote with Heart Awareness Month is that women really need to have it on their radar screen as a health issue.

KAGAN: I think there's two side to this. First, as the women, I think we don't know to be aware of this. Like you say, I think we're more attuned to things like breast, or perhaps, lung cancer.

But the doctor side is the other side of this. And perhaps doctors not taking symptoms seriously when women come in and complain.

BENNETT: Well, that has been an issue for a while. We're trying to do a better job educating physicians with respect to what kinds of tests are best to order for women and how aggressive we should be about things like blood pressure control and lipid control. All of those are very important.

One of the other things we want to stress to women is that you have to be active participants in your health care. You need to feel empowered. Come up with a list of questions that you need to get answered when you go in to see your physician. And we encourage every woman who's really over the age of 35 to have that conversation with their doctor on an annual basis.

KAGAN: What should that conversation be?

BENNETT: It should start out as, what's my risk of having heart disease or stroke? The conversation has to follow with respect to, is my blood pressure normal? Are my bad cholesterols too high? Is my good cholesterol too low? Do I smoke? Am I inactive? Do I need to lose weight?

And what's my family history? A lot of women feel since their mothers don't have heart disease they may not be at risk. But if their fathers have had a heart attack at an early age, less than 55, they have carried that risk.

KAGAN: Don't just look at Mom, look at Dad as well.

Another thing I pick up on that you're talking about, the good news is that we as women can empower ourselves. These are things that you don't necessarily have to get from the doctor when you talk about your weight, smoking, blood pressure, diet. These are all things that we can do for ourselves.

BENNETT: They are things that we can do for ourselves, but we have to have a good partnership with out care provider.

One of the important things to realize is that we are getting more aware. American Heart Association has shown that there is increasing awareness that women recognize heart disease as the No. 1 killer.

Still, not enough women recognize that and take it personally. But we have really improved things over the last three years.

KAGAN: And just one final question. I want to pick up on something else you said about younger women, this being a leading cause. I would include myself in this group under the impression that women in their 30s, 40s, that you're basically protected until you go through menopause.

BENNETT: Well there is a sharp increase. And it's not sharp so much, but a gradual rise in heart disease after menopause.

But there are many forms of heart disease including heart attacks that can strike young women. In particular if we see women who smoke, are diabetics, they are at very high risk of having a heart attack early. So we're not immune. KAGAN: Important to be aware. Dr. Susan Bennett with the American Heart Association.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com