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Cardiovascular disease is the top killer of women. The majority
of women between the ages of 40 and 60 have at least one risk
factor for heart disease, but many do not realize it, according
to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Women also
don't know about the sometimes subtle signals of a heart attack.
Why the disconnect? In general, heart disease has been perceived
as an older person's disease that need not concern women until
menopause. For years, women also thought hormone therapy (HT)
would protect them from heart trouble. But heart attacks can and
do occur at any age, and we now know that HT may actually
increase the risk for heart disease. A common form of heart
disease is coronary artery disease, which affects the blood
vessels of your heart. Heart disease also includes
atherosclerosis, or the thickening and hardening of your
arteries, as well as stroke and heart failure. The groundwork
for heart disease can start in your 20s.