Heart Disease in Women

In the United States, 1 in 4 women dies from heart disease. 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.

Learn more about heart disease in women.

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Heart disease and women

National Institutes of Health

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

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

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Summary

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

Start Here

Healthy Heart Handbook for Women (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
Heart Disease (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
Heart Health for Women (Food and Drug Administration)Also in Spanish
Heart Truth for Women: An Action Plan (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF

Symptoms

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women (American Heart Association)

Diagnosis and Tests

Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
Screening Tests for Women Who Have Heart Disease (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Tests That Can Help Protect Your Heart Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Prevention and Risk Factors

Heart Disease and Stroke (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)Also in Spanish
Heart Disease Risk Factors (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
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)

Treatments and Therapies

Medications (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Living With

Calcium Supplements: A Risk Factor for Heart Attack?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
Eat for Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Heart Healthy Eating (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
Heart-Healthy Recipe of the Week (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish

Related Issues

CHD's Impact on Females (American Heart Association)
Heart Conditions and Pregnancy: Know the Risks(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Heart Disease in Hispanic Women (American Heart Association)
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Your Heart (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
Menopause and Heart Disease (American Heart Association)
Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease: Birth Control Pills (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Q and A: Birth Control for Women with Congenital Heart Disease (Adult Congenital Heart Association)

Specifics

Heart Attack and Women (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
Heart Truth for Latinas (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDFAlso in Spanish
How Does Heart Disease Affect Women? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)Also in Spanish