More and more women are becoming aware of the dangers of heart disease. Unfortunately, too many still believe that only men need to be concerned about their hearts. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of American women, making it about women, and about you.

Reduce Your Risk

One in two American women die of heart disease or stroke, and those that survive often experience a significant decrease in their independence and quality of life. Only one-third of heart attack survivors ever make a full recovery.

Despite these grim statistics, there's a lot you can do to control your risk of heart disease. While risk factors such as family history and age cannot be changed, there are a number of risk factors where prevention plays a key role. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity can all be greatly impacted by prevention and lifestyle changes. Women can actually lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82% by leading a healthy lifestyle. So start a conversation with your health care provider about your risk factors, set heart healthy goals for yourself, and take control of your heart health.

Act Quickly in a Heart Emergency

In addition to managing your risk factors, knowing the signs of heart disease is vital since it can help you act quickly in a heart emergency, and dramatically increase your chance of survival and recovery. Women tend to wait longer than men to get help when they are having a heart attack or stroke. This is partially due to the fact that while women may experience the “classic” heart attack symptoms of crushing chest and upper arm pain, they are more likely than men to have subtle symptoms like nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, indigestion, trouble sleeping, sweating, discomfort in the upper abdomen or mid-back, and vomiting. Many women may experience these warning signs as much as weeks, months, and even years before having a heart attack. So make sure you know your body and the symptoms of all types of heart disease, and DON'T WAIT if you think you are having a heart emergency.

Spread the Word

Knowledge really is power when it comes to heart disease. Despite a dramatic increase in awareness of women's heart health over the past decade, only 54% of American women know that heart disease is their biggest health threat. Help spread the word by talking to the women in your life about heart disease and reducing their risk.

The Alliance for Aging Research is also helping to spread the word through a Women's Heart Health Campaign. With support from Edwards Lifesciences, the Alliance is reaching out to physicians and consumers in order to raise awareness about critical knowledge gaps, and encourage more physician-patient conversations about heart health. To find out more about this exciting campaign visit www.agingresearch.org

For more information on women's heart health:

• American Heart Association www.americanheart.org
• The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease www.womenheart.org
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth
• Womenshealth.gov www.4woman.gov/heart