Women Heart Health - Risk Factors You Should Know

Cardiovascular diseases are increasingly becoming the primary cause of ailments and death among the Indian population. According to the Global Burden of Diseases study, about 24.8% of deaths in India have been due to cardiovascular diseases. Women are equally exposed to the risk of heart-related illnesses as men. In fact, as per an all-women study conducted by Lancet, around 275 million globally were afflicted with cardiovascular diseases in the year 2019.

Since women are at increased risk of heart-related conditions, it becomes important for them to know the risk factors and take suitable precautions for them. Among women, the most common causes of cardiovascular diseases include –

• Unhealthy diets
• Limited or no physical activity
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Mental stress and/or depression
• Pregnancy related complications
• Hereditary diseases 
• Menopause 
• Inflammatory diseases

Moreover, with the changing lifestyle conditions and the stress that women usually take in managing their careers and their families, the risk of heart ailments increases manifold. As such, it becomes imperative for women to take care of their health. Some of the precautionary measures that women should undertake include the following –

• Regular exercising, walking, yoga or any other form of physical activity
• Meditation
• Eating a balanced and a nutritious diet
• Regular health check-ups, at least once a year
• 7-8 hours of sleep
• Proper treatments and medications for any health related complications, if any

Furthermore, women should also invest in a suitable health insurance policy that takes care of their health-related needs. Here are some options for women to explore –

• An individual health insurance plan
  If you are unmarried, an individual health insurance policy, that covers possible heart-related ailments, is a must. Opt for a comprehensive cover with an optimal sum insured. Since medical treatments, especially heart-related ones, are quite expensive, you need a sum insured of at least Rs.5 lakhs and above. Try and opt for a higher coverage level so that you would be optimally insured.
  
  If affordability is an issue, you can opt for a super top-up plan with a base health plan. The super top-up plan would help you boost the coverage level while being affordable on your pockets. You would, thus, be able to enjoy a high sum insured without burning a hole in your purse.
  
  Also, if you are employed and enjoy a group health insurance scheme, add an individual health plan to your portfolio. Though the group health plan would allow coverage, it would be limited. Since medical treatments can be exorbitant, you need an independent plan of your own for sufficient coverage. Moreover, an independent health plan would also provide lifelong renewability, a feature that is lacking in employer-sponsored health insurance plans.
• A critical illness cover
  Another important coverage that you need is the critical illness cover. This is a fixed benefit cover that pays a lump sum benefit if you suffer from any of the listed conditions and illnesses. Coverage is included for heart-related illnesses like stroke and heart attack under the critical illness cover. If you suffer any heart risk, the plan would pay a lump sum benefit that would help you seek advanced medical treatments or take care of other financial obligations that you might have.
  
  You can opt for the critical illness add-on if your health insurance plan provides the same or opt for a standalone critical illness policy to cover heart related health risks. 
• A comprehensive family floater cover
  If you are married or if you have dependents who you want to insure under a single plan, you can opt for family floater coverage. In either case, however, you should ensure that the coverage suits your requirements. Health plans cover heart-related contingencies and if you are hospitalised following an ailment, the medical bills would be covered.
  
  So, while coverage is ensured, what is important is that you opt for a high sum insured, preferably Rs.10 lakhs and above. Since other members are also covered, the sum insured should be sufficient to cover the medical bills. Here again you can opt for a super top-up plan to enhance the coverage.
  
  Add the critical illness add-on, if available, to cover the financial implications of a heart attack or stroke. If the add-on is unavailable, buy a standalone critical illness plan for an all-round protection.

Wrapping it up!

Modern day women are increasingly becoming health conscious. However, they are prone to gender-specific physiological risks that they need to protect against, especially when it comes to their heart. So, it is imperative to take care of your heart health and invest in a suitable health insurance plan for possible contingencies that you might face.

To find suitable health plans, you can visit SANA.insure. With a tie-up with leading insurers, you would be able to find the best plans at the most affordable premium rates. Our Health Insurance Experts are happy to help you should you need any assistance along the way. Please get in touch with us over WhatsApp chat on 8278271818 or call us on 18002028118 for more information.