Women must monitor their health

For many men, women are a mystery. Maybe this stems from the fact that U.S. women are living an average of 79.8 years – more than five years longer than men, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But that doesn’t mean women – or men, for that matter – can afford to be asleep at the wheel when it comes to their health care.

The top three killers of women in the U.S. are heart disease, cancer and stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. When you think of someone having a heart attack or stroke, you might think of a middle-aged man. The truth is cardiovascular health isn’t just a \”man’s issue\” Seventy million Americans have heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. But did you know that over half of those – 54 percent – are women? Surprised? You’re not alone. Many women believe that cancer is more of a threat to their well-being, but they’re wrong. The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease and stroke as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer.

Much of the burden of heart disease and stroke could be eliminated by reducing its major risk factors, accord-ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, lack of exercise and poor nutrition. You’ve heard it before, but I’m going to say it again – lifestyle choices, like what you eat and how much you exercise, play such a critical role in preventing all kinds of potentially devastating diseases, not the least of which is heart disease.

For many women, it’s a fear of breast cancer that worries them. Every three minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). But there’s a silver lining: breast cancer survival rates are on the rise as more women are detecting and treating breast cancer at its earliest stages.

It’s critical that African American women, especially, know about the importance of early detection, diagnosis and treatment. Even though African American women are less likely to get breast cancer, they are 28 percent more likely to die from it than white women, according to the ACS.

Pharmaceutical companies are zero-ing in on these diseases. According to a recent survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, more than 600 new medicines are in development to help improve the quality of life for women everywhere.

This includes 111 new medicines to help treat cancer (breast, ovarian and cervical cancer) and 146 new medicines for cardiovascular disease.

Patients who need help accessing their prescription medicines can turn to the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. In the last two years, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance has helped connect more than 3.6 million patients in need to programs that provide either free or nearly free medicines. For more information, patients can call 1-888-4PPA-NOW or visit www.pparx.org.

Like the women in many men’s lives, my wife and daughter will always be the center of my universe. Improved lifestyles, early detection, regular screenings and proper medications will help all of our mothers, daughters and wives continue to be the heart of my – and your – households.