Heart Disease in Women: MedlinePlus ▲ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Heart Disease in Women: MedlinePlus

 
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

Heart Disease in Women

Email this page to a friendShare on facebookShare on twitterBookmark & SharePrinter-friendly versionSubscribe to RSS

 

 

In the United States, 1 in 4 women dies from heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease in both men and women is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease, and it happens slowly over time. It's the major reason people have heart attacks.
Heart diseases that affect women more than men include

• Coronary microvascular disease (MVD) - a problem that affects the heart's tiny arteries
• Broken heart syndrome - extreme emotional stress leading to severe but often short-term heart muscle failure

The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to get heart disease. But women of all ages should be concerned about heart disease. All women can take steps to prevent it by practicing healthy lifestyle habits.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Special Procedures

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Eat for Health

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Medications

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Screening Tests for Women Who Have Heart Disease

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Check It Out

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Overweight and Obesity

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Women at Risk

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease: High Blood Cholesterol

11/12/2013 05:22 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Disease in Women

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Heart disease and women

Related Topics

• Angioplasty
• Arrhythmia
• Congenital Heart Defects
• Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
• Heart Failure
• Heart Valve Diseases
• Blood, Heart and Circulation
• Women

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on Heart Disease in Women is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Languages

• Korean (한국어)
• Spanish (español)

• Overviews

  • Healthy Heart Handbook for Women(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Heart Disease in Women(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Heart Truth(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

• Latest News

  • Radiation for Breast Cancer May Raise Heart Risks(10/28/2013, HealthDay)
  • Study May Help Explain Delay of Heart Disease in Women(09/24/2013, HealthDay)
  • Chest Pain Less Common in Female Heart Patients: Study(09/16/2013, HealthDay)
  • More News on Heart Disease in Women

• Diagnosis/Symptoms

  • Heart Attack Difference: Mars and Venus(American College of Emergency Physicians)
  • Heart Attack Symptoms in Women(American Heart Association)
  • Know the Symptoms(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
  • Also available in Spanish

• Treatment

  • Medications(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Special Procedures(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Prevention/Screening

  • Check It Out(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
  • Heart Disease in Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Screening Tests for Women Who Have Heart Disease(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Nutrition

  • Calcium Supplements: A Risk Factor for Heart Attack?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Eat for Health(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Heart Healthy Eating(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top

• Disease Management

  • Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Return to top

• Specific Conditions

  • Cardiac Arrhythmia Management: Why Women Are Different from Men(Women's Heart Foundation)
  • Who Is at Risk for Coronary Microvascular Disease?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Related Issues

  • Coronary Heart Disease(American Diabetes Association)
  • Heart Conditions and Pregnancy: Know the Risks(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Heart Disease: Know Your Risk(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
  • Heart Truth for African American Women(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Heart Truth for Latinas(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • High Blood Pressure and Women(American Heart Association)
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy and Your Heart(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Impact on Females(American Heart Association)
  • Know Your Risk(American Heart Association)
  • Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Diabetes(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease: High Blood Cholesterol(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Overweight and Obesity(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Menopause and Heart Disease(American Heart Association)
  • Q and A: Birth Control for Women with Congenital Heart Disease(Adult Congenital Heart Association) - PDF
  • Questions to Ask Your Doctor(Sister to Sister: Everyone Has a Heart Foundation) - PDF
  • Women and Smoking(American Cancer Society)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Women at Risk(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Health Check Tools

  • For Your Heart(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
  • Return to top

• Anatomy/Physiology

  • How the Heart Works(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Financial Issues

  • Cardiovascular Disease Screenings(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  • Women and Heart Disease(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF
  • Return to top

• Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Heart Disease in Women(National Institutes of Health)
  • Return to top

• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: Smoking raises the risk of sudden death in women.
  • Article: Taking more steps could reduce women's heart risks after menopause.
  • Article: Smoking cessation, weight change, and coronary heart disease among postmenopausal...
  • Heart Disease in Women -- see more articles
  • Return to top

• Dictionaries/Glossaries

  • Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia(American Heart Association)
  • Return to top

• Organizations

  • American Heart Association
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
  • Return to top

• Statistics

  • Prevalence of Uncontrolled Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease: United States, 1999-2010(National Center for Health Statistics)
  • Women and Heart Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Return to top

• MedlinePlus Magazine

  • Heart Truth Campaign Inspires Women's Heart Health Action
  • Return to top

• Patient Handouts

  • Heart disease and women
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Talk With Your Health Care Provider About Taking Aspirin to Prevent Strokes(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - PDF