The facts
- One in every three women develops heart disease.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America.
- Women with heart disease are diagnosed less frequently and are less likely to survive a heart attack.
Risk factors
Many risk factors for heart disease can be controlled. These include:
- Cigarette smoking, which is the greatest preventable cause of death. Women who smoke have more than double the risk of heart attack.
- High blood pressure. Prevalence in women increases with age.
- High blood cholesterol, which can cause a buildup of fatty deposits that clog the arteries and block blood flow.
- Being overweight, which places extra stress on the heart. Losing weight can benefit your heart and help lower blood cholesterol.
- Physical inactivity. This contributes to other risk factors, such as being overweight and high blood pressure. Activities such as walking, gardening, dancing and home exercise can provide benefits.
- Diabetes, which can nearly double a woman's risk of heart attack. If you have diabetes, control your blood glucose level throughout the day to avoid big drops and peaks.
Heart attacks and women
Heart attacks are more deadly for women than for men for a number of reasons. Some women do not experience the common warning signs of a heart attack. Instead, they have other symptoms, which make a heart attack harder to diagnose. Women also are less likely to report symptoms and to seek medical care promptly.
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