One in three women will die of heart disease. Every year, more than 400,000 women die of heart disease, almost double the number of deaths from cancer. Heart disease affects women of every age and ethnicity; even women as young as 30 are at risk. “Women need to know that heart disease is their number one killer,” says Dr. Lori Croft, spokesperson for the American Heart Association and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai Heart. It’s never too early to protect yourself from this health threat. Learning the facts is the first step.

What exactly is heart disease?

Heart disease is caused by the narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. It can lead to angina, heart attack and cardiac arrest, which can cause serious disabilities and be fatal.

• Angina: When the heart doesn’t get the blood and oxygen that it needs. Symptoms include chest pain and pain in the shoulders, arms neck jaw or back.
• Heart attack: When a blood vessel or artery is severely blocked. Symptoms of a heart attack include pressure or pain in the chest, discomfort in one or both arms, the neck or the jaw, and shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness and sweating.
• Cardiac arrest: When the heart’s beating becomes irregular and the heart suddenly stops functioning. Cardiac arrests can occur during a heart attack and are more likely to occur to people who have had heart attacks or have heart disease.

Are you at risk? Lower your risk for heart disease

“Know your risk factors and know that heart disease is preventable,” says Dr. Croft. Having a parent or sibling with heart disease increases your risk. And as you age, your risk for heart disease becomes higher. While you can’t change your age or family, the following factors can be controlled to help prevent heart disease.

• Smoking: Smokers are more than twice as likely to develop heart disease than nonsmokers. Smoking leads to a reduced blood flow which can result in a heart attack. While women under 50 usually do not get heart disease, smoking puts women regardless of age at a higher risk. Just by quitting, you’ll dramatically lower your heart disease risk.
• High blood pressure: Having high blood pressure makes your heart do more work. Even a slight decrease in blood pressure will lower your risk. Losing weight, exercising regularly and eating healthy and reducing your salt intake will help control high blood pressure.
• High cholesterol: Excess cholesterol in your blood builds up in your blood vessels, which can lead to blockages. Eating a healthy diet is key to lowering your cholesterol.
• Physical inactivity: Even if you don’t have any other risk factors, having an inactive lifestyle puts you at risk. Your heart is a muscle and needs regular exercise to be in shape. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday to be healthy.
• Diabetes: People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease. If you have diabetes, keep it under control by taking medication as directed by your doctor, exercising regularly and eating a low-fat diet.
• Obesity/Overweight: Having excess body fat, especially around the waist, increases your risk for developing heart disease, even if you have no other risk factors. Being overweight raises blood pressure and cholesterol and makes diabetes more likely to develop. Even a weight loss of 10% your initial weight will lower your heart disease risk.

Be Heart-Disease Free

Start by taking care of yourself more. “Women often have many responsibilities and put others before themselves,” says Dr. Croft. Go to your physician and find out if you’re at risk. And if you’re not already doing so, live a healthier lifestyle with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Even little changes like taking the stairs instead of the escalator and substituting baked for fried foods can make a difference. The number one killer of women is not unstoppable.

For more information from the American Heart Assocation, visit goredforwomen.org.