Yet, the American Heart Association estimates that one in two women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 27 who will die of breast cancer.

Unfortunately, many women are uncertain of specific aspects of heart disease and most don’t understand the risk from this serious health threat.

Cardiovascular disease includes diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Heart and blood vessel problems develop over time and occur when arteries that supply the heart or brain with blood slowly become clogged from a buildup of cells, fat and cholesterol. When the blood flow gets blocked similar to a dam, the heart stops receiving blood from the source, it suffers a lack of blood flow from the brain causing a stroke.

There are several factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in women. Some of them can be changed and some cannot. But the more risk factors a woman has, the greater the chance that she may develop heart disease or have a stroke.

The chances of developing heart disease increase as women grow older. As women approach the age of menopause, their risk of heart disease and stroke begins to rise and continues to rise with age. About four in five people who die of coronary heart disease are age 65 or older.

Both women and men are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke if their close blood relatives have had them. Race is also a factor. African-American women have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke than Caucasian women – in large part because African Americans have higher average blood pressure levels.

Women who smoke cigarettes or cigars have a much higher risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Overall, smokers’ risk of heart attack is significantly higher than that of nonsmokers. What’s more, smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die and die suddenly (within an hour) than are nonsmokers. Quitting smoking now can greatly reduce the risk of heart attack for smokers.

More than 50 million Americans have high blood pressure and nearly half are women. Women who have a family history of high blood pressure – especially African-American women – and women who are overweight are also at high risk.

Studies show that women’s cholesterol is higher than men’s from age 55 on. Women should be sure to get regular cholesterol screenings and maintain a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

Studies have found that lack of physical activity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Even regular moderate exercise is beneficial.

As many as 35 million women are overweight. The risk for heart disease is particularly high in women who have excess abdominal fat.

More than 80 percent of those who have diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. Over four million American women have diabetes. Compared to women of the same age without diabetes, diabetic women have an increased risk of having a heart attack and are at an increased risk of having a stroke.

It’s also important for women to recognize warning signs. Classic signals of heart disease include chest discomfort, which may be pressure, fullness, or heavy sensation beneath the sternum (or breast bone), which most often occurs with exertion and is relieved by rest. However, there may be atypical symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, or an intolerance to exercise and physical exertion.

Heart disease is typically more difficult to diagnose in women because women may have more atypical symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea or indigestion, which may make it difficult to separate heart disease from ulcer or other gastrointestinal problems. They may also more often have chest pain, suggestive of angina or heart disease, when no heart disease is present.

This is all the more reason for women to take steps for prevention and early detection.

There are a number of steps women can take to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Taken together, these may provide the greatest chance to maintain a healthy heart:

• Quit smoking.

• Decrease high blood pressure (in some people, this can be done by losing weight, quitting smoking and maintaining a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet).
• Reduce high cholesterol and triglycerides (get regular cholesterol screenings and maintain a healthy diet).
• Be more physically active (even moderate exercise on a regular basis is beneficial – for example, walk once a day for 20 minutes).
• Talk with your doctor about hormone therapies if you have passed menopause. For women, heart disease becomes a significant problem after menopause. Heart disease is more often a problem in women over the age of 65; however, if there is premature or surgical menopause, heart disease may occur at a younger age, particularly in the absence of hormonal replacement.
• Control or delay diabetes with the help of your doctor.
• Maintain a healthy weight and eat a healthful diet (high in fruits, vegetables, fibers and cereals – low in saturated fats).
• Moderate any use of alcohol.
• Adopt healthy ways of dealing with stress in your life. For example, take a break from work and home duties, read a book, take daily walks and avoid negative people in your life.

Women need to make it a point to ask their doctor about the risks specific to women and preventative measures that can be taken. Nothing is more important than arming yourself with knowledge to battle heart disease.