 [ Symptoms ] how common is heart disease among women [ Disease ] heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old especially after menopause once a woman reaches the age of 50 about the age of natural menopause the risk for heart disease increases dramatically in young women who have undergone early or surgical menopause the risk for heart disease is also higher especially when combined with other risk factors such as diabetes smoking high blood pressure high blood cholesterol especially high ldl or bad cholesterol obesity lack of exercise family history of heart disease