Sophie Blackall
In Your 20s
Prevention Develop healthy habits now (see Ageless Advice on page 1). Heart attacks are rare in women in their 20s, but heart disease is something you develop gradually. The habits you have in your 20s and 30s will affect your health for the rest of your life. Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for diabetes, which is in turn a risk factor for heart disease. Watch your diet and exercise regularly. Learn about your history.
If a man in your family had heart disease before age 55 or a woman had it before age 65, that counts as a strong family history, says Leslie Cho, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic Women's Cardiovascular Center. A history of cardiac problems on your mother's side is thought to be a stronger predictor of trouble for both women and men. Be on the lookout for polycystic ovarian syndrome. This hormonal condition can raise the risk for heart disease later in life. Tests Blood pressure:
Annually. Body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and/or waist-to-hip ratio measurement:
Annually. Lipid panel:
By age 20; repeat annually or more often if your lipids are in an unhealthy range, or every five years if they're in a healthy range. Fasting blood glucose:
Only if you're diabetic, pregnant, or at risk for diabetes (this includes anyone with a BMI of 25 or higher; those with a family history of diabetes; and African-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics).For a list of tests, what they measure, and how to interpret results, see
Testing, Testing
