…make small amounts of hormones for years after natural menopause, guarding against heart disease as well as stroke. The exception: If you have a relative — a mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, or cousin — who’s had ovarian or breast cancer, especially before menopause, then it might make sense for you to have your ovaries out.
• Breast calcifications. If your mammogram shows specks of calcium deposits in the arteries of your breast, you might not have to worry about cancer, but you do need to pay more attention to your cardiovascular health: you may have more than triple the risk of heart disease of a woman without these deposits, a recent University of Missouri School of Medicine study found. During your next mammogram, ask if vascular calcifications were noted, and if they were, ask if your heart health needs to be looked at differently.
40s Checkup Checklist
• Routine Screens: Follow the above schedule for your 20s and 30s.
• Glucose Test: Have this done every three years starting at 40s.
• A “Global Risk Estimation”: This is a mathematical formula used to calculate your odds of having a heart attack in the next 10 years, based on such factors as your age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, whether you have diabetes, and other risks. Repeat this test every five years.
• Stress Echocardiogram/Nuclear Imaging Stress Test: Both done as you walk on a treadmill, can provide key warnings about your heart’s health.
Your 50s: Know The Symptoms
Although the transition through mid-life changes, such as menopause, can be rough, the relative “peace” you finally achieve afterwards may be pretty nice. But there is one sour note: Your risk of heart disease doubles – or even triples. This may be due to many issues, including age and other risk factors finally catching up with you.
You need to know what a heart attack feels like. People often delay dialing 911 because they doubt their symptoms signal a heart attack. And that hesitation can cost you your life,” says Dr. Goldberg. Aside from the classic warning signs — a bursting chest pain that spreads to jaw, neck, and shoulder — look for these subtler symptoms, which can build in intensity over days or weeks: unusual fatigue, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, heaviness in the chest, or upper abdominal pain.
Hidden Heart Risks At 50
• Loneliness. If an empty nest or early retirement leaves you feeling isolated, the heartache may be more than emotional. In a 19-year study, people who reported feeling lonely most of the time had a 76 percent increased risk of heart disease. The connection? Chronic loneliness, like stress, may trigger inflammatory and hormonal changes that promote cardiovascular disease. It may also lead to poorer health habits that increase your risk. Nurture your friendships and forge close social connections by volunteering at a local charity, joining a book club, or undertaking any other social activities that appeal to you.
• Misdiagnosis. Here’s a scary (and common) scenario. A woman in her 50s complains to her doctor about persistent chest pain. He sends her for a stress test, but even if that’s abnormal, as long as testing reveals no major blockages, he assures her nothing’s wrong. The reality: Almost 50 percent of women with abnormal stress testing and open coronary arteries have microvascular coronary dysfunction, in which the heart’s smallest arteries don’t dilate properly and blood flow is restricted. It can increase your risk for sudden cardiac death, heart attack, or other serious problems by 2.5 percent each year. “Your doctor may dismiss your symptoms as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or anxiety,” says Dr. Bairey Merz, “especially if initial tests come back borderline.” So insist on getting a full evaluation that could reveal micro problems.
50s Checkup Checklist
• Routine Screens: Follow the above schedule for your 20s and 30s.
• Prediabetes: Have your doctor perform a fasting glucose test to check for signs of prediabetes.
• Aspirin: Ask your doctor to help you weigh the pros and cons of taking baby aspirin.
• Ask If More Tests Are Needed: Ask your doctor about more frequent tests, new research and special exams that you may benefit from, especially if you’re at a higher risk of heart disease.
In your 50s and beyond, remember to have routine screenings done at least every two years; more often if you have multiple risk factors. Also ask you doctor to redo a “global risk estimation” every time a risk factor, such as your blood pressure or weight, changes.
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