Are women at risk?

Women are at risk for heart disease and heart attacks, just like men. In fact:

• * Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65 years of age.
• * American women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die of heart disease than of breast cancer.
• * Heart disease kills more women over 65 years of age than all cancers combined.

Women develop heart problems later in life than men -- typically 7 or 8 years later. However, by about age 65, a woman's risk is almost the same as a man's. Also, the rates of heart attack over the last 20 years have been increasing for women 35 to 54 years of age. It makes sense for women to pay attention to their heart health.