Heart Smart Fact Sheet

  • 1 in 3 women over age 65 years develop symptomatic heart disease; 1 in 9 age 64 years and younger.
  • Many risk factors for CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) in women are cigarette smoking, hypertension, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition.
  • Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) in women-more than 50% of heart attacks among middle-aged women attributable to tobacco.
  • Cardiovascular disease accounts for 45.2% of all deaths in women, more than all forms of cancer combined.
  • Women present late for evaluation with a more advanced stage of illness. Their care is provided less timely than for men.
  • Estrogen Deficiency leads to a wide variety of problems including:
    • lowered HDL cholesterol
    • marked rise in cardiovascular disease
    • osteoporosis
  • Estrogen function starts to decline 5 years before the last menstrual period. Average age for reaching menopause is 51 years.
  • Diabetes & smoking negate the "estrogen advantage"