Wear a RED shirt in recognition of The Heart Truth

(HeartCenterOnline) - One of the most enduring myths about heart disease is that it is primarily a man's disease. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of women - one in every three women will die from the condition.

In spite of this alarming statistic, only 9 percent of women name heart disease as the condition they fear most (of women aged 45 to 64 years). The national Red Dress campaign returns to raise awareness about heart disease among women. The Red Dress, first launched in February 2003, is a national symbol designed to build awareness that women are at risk for heart disease and to encourage them to do something about it.

February has been proclaimed American Heart Month by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for males and females of all ages. But for many years, research has focused on heart disease and heart disease treatment in men. Only recently, researchers and physicians have begun to discover that heart disease affects women differently.

For instance, many of the signs and symptoms that indicate heart disease or even a heart attack can be different for women. Therefore, women may fail to get the medical attention they need.

In addition, many women are unaware that their risk for heart disease rises dramatically during mid-life, when a woman's body stops producing estrogen. It is estimated that one in four women over the age of 65 have heart disease.

 

Esquiva: from Heart Disease

Ginga: work together against Heart Disease

Generations: Mother (Bia) & daughter (Sardinha), together practicing capoeira. One important step: doing exercise to avoid heart disease.