Some Surprising Heart Disease for Women Facts

• One in two women in the United States dies of heart disease or stroke, while 1 in 30 dies of breast cancer.
• 38% of women will die within one year after having a heart attack.
• Within 6 years of having a heart attack, about 46% of women become disabled with heart failure. Two-thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.

The fact is, if you've got a heart, heart disease could be your problem. Fortunately, it's a problem you can do something about.

For women in midlife, taking action is particularly important. Once a woman reaches menopause, her risks of heart disease and heart attack jump dramatically. One in eight women between the ages of 45 and 64 has some form of heart disease and this increases to one in three women over 65.

You may still be thinking, "But this isn't about me. I don't have heart disease." But you have conditions or habits that can lead to heart disease, such as smoking, being overweight, or not getting enough physical activity. What you may not know is that if you have even one risk factor, you are much more likely to develop heart disease. A damaged heart can damage your life by interfering with enjoyable activities and even your ability to do simple things such as taking a walk or climbing steps.

To schedule a health screening or to reach the Women at Heart program at the Regina L. Cozza Center, call (203) 576-6119.