Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of women in the United States. Every year since 1984, heart disease has claimed more women than men. Currently, an estimated 500,000 women die each year from cardiovascular disease in the United States alone. Cardiovascular disease claims more female lives than breast cancer, accidents and diabetes combined. Worldwide, heart disease is the number one killer of women in developed countries.

According to the National Institutes of Health, women are more likely to have more risk factors for heart attacks than men. Numerous studies have shown that people with more risk factors, such as having diabetes, being overweight, smoking and having high cholesterol, are much more likely to suffer from heart attacks than people with fewer risk factors.

In general, heart attacks are deadlier to women at any age than men. By age 75, cardiovascular disease is more common among women than men. Although the incidence of coronary artery disease is lower for premenopausal women, they are more likely to die from a heart attack and more likely to have a second heart attack within one year.

Furthermore, diagnosing heart attacks can be more difficult in women than men because women tend to have less “typical” symptoms. Women are encouraged to learn all they can about preventing heart attacks and getting the earliest possible treatment if they experience any symptoms of a heart attack.

The American Heart Association estimates that more than 13 million people alive today have a history of coronary artery disease, which is the leading cause of heart attacks. More than half of these are women. In addition, more than 3 million American women have a history of heart attack, and 4.2 million have a history of angina, or chest pain.