Piedmont doctor gives heart health tips for women

A new survey from the American Heart Association projects that by 2050, nearly 60% of women could have high blood pressure, while stroke prevalence among women is expected to rise to 14 percent.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A new survey from The American Heart Association projects that by 2050, nearly 60 percent of women could have high blood pressure, while stroke prevalence among women is expected to rise to 14 percent.  

More than 59% of women will in the U.S. will have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% today.

More than 25% of women will have diabetes, up from about 15%.

And more that 61% of women will have obesity, up from about 44% today.

Also, as those risks become more common for women, overall cardiovascular disease and stroke in women will rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.

Dr. Zoe Jones, a Cardiologist with Piedmont Heart at Lakeside Commons, says women should maintain regular follow-up appointments with their doctors and focus on managing their weight, sleep habits and diet. 

“We need to know about the social determinants of heart disease which would be diet and exercise,” she said. “We’re also beginning to understand that sleep health is very important. And women may not be paying attention to their sleep health. They’re worried about their jobs and their children, so sleep health is something that we need to not only know about but explain to women that they need to take care of themselves for that.”

Jones also says mothers should pay close attention to conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, which can be indicators of underlying health issues and may increase the risk of heart disease later in life. 

Dr. Jones says women should remember that heart disease is happening that’s happening sooner in women. That means screening young women for high blood pressure and asking questions is important.