Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women

Learn about heart disease and women and what you can do to keep a healthy heart.

Get Informed: Facts on Women and Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States.
Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease,” around the same number of women and men die each year of heart disease in the United States.
Some conditions and lifestyle choices increase a person’s chance for heart disease, including diabetes, overweight and obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use.
High blood pressure, high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol because having high levels can lead to buildup in your arteries and result in heart disease and stroke. Controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol, not smoking, and regular physical activity will reduce your chances for heart disease.

Symptoms

While some women have no symptoms of heart disease, others may experience heavy sharp chest pain or discomfort, pain in the neck/jaw/throat, or pain in the upper abdomen or back. Sometimes heart disease may be silent and not diagnosed until a woman has signs or symptoms including:

Heart Attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea/vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, and shortness of breath.
Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest.
Heart Failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the feet/ankles/legs/abdomen.
Stroke: Sudden weakness, paralysis (inability to move) or numbness of the face/arms/legs, especially on one side of the body. Other symptoms may include confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech, difficulty seeing in one or both eyes, shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, loss of consciousness, or sudden and severe headache.

Healthy Hearts

Heart disease is largely preventable.

What You Can Do for Heart Health

You can lower your chance of heart disease and a heart attack by taking simple steps.

Eat a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Choose foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Be physically active. Adults should strive for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (or 150 minutes total) of physical activity each week. You can spread your activity out during the week, and can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day.
Be smokefree. If you are ready to quit, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569 for Spanish speakers) for free resources, including free quit coaching, a free quit plan, free educational materials, and referrals to other resources where you live.
Limit alcohol use, which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease and cancer. If you do choose to drink, do so in moderation, which is no more than one drink a day for women. Do not drink at all if you are pregnant.
Know your family history. There may be factors that could increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Manage any medical condition you might have. Learn the ABCS of heart health. Keep them in mind every day and especially when you talk to your health provider:
- Appropriate Aspirin therapy for those who need it
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol management
- Smoking cessation

Healthy Lives for Everyone

In 2018 CDC celebrates 30 years having an office dedicated to reducing health disparities and pursuing health equity. We believe this mission is possible and that we can achieve healthy lives for everyone. Learn more about healthy equity and public health agents of change.