Yet, the American Heart Association estimates that one in two women will eventually die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 25 who will eventually 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, you could have a heart attack or stroke. Very similar to a dam, when the heart stops receiving blood from the source and gets blocked, it suffers from the lack of blood and you could have a heart attack or 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 will develop heart disease or have a stroke.

Increasing Age
The chances of developing heart disease increase as women grow older. It�s estimated that by the year 2000 there will be nearly 30 million American women over the age of 50. As women approach the age of menopause, their risk of heart disease and stroke begins to rise and continues to rise with age.

Hereditary
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.

Cigarette and Tobacco Smoke
Trends point to more women smokers (23 percent) than men (20 percent) by the year 2000. For women, smoking is the biggest risk factor for heart attack. Women who smoke cigarettes or cigars have a much higher risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Taking oral contraceptives and smoking significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Quitting smoking now can greatly reduce the risk of heart attack for smokers.

High Blood Pressure
Nearly two-thirds of all women over age 65 have high blood pressure. In fact, women over 75 years of age are much more likely to develop high blood pressure than are men. Women who have a family history of high blood pressure � especially African-American women � and women who are overweight are also at high risk.

High Blood Cholesterol
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.

Physical Activity
Studies have found that heart disease is almost twice as likely to develop in inactive people than in those who are more active. Even regular moderate exercise is beneficial.

Obesity
As many as 60 percent of elderly women are overweight. The risk for heart disease is particularly high in women who have excess abdominal fat.

Diabetes
More than 80 percent of those who have diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. The most common form of diabetes affects many more women than men after age 45, due to the greater number of women in the older population. Compared to women of the same age without diabetes, diabetic women have double the risk of having a heart attack and are at much greater risk of having a stroke.

Warning Signs
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.

Reducing the Risk
There are a number of steps women can take to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Taken together, these 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/or 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.