Although many people think of heart disease as a man's problem, women can and do get heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. It is also a leading cause of disability among women.
The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time. It's the major reason people have heart attacks. Prevention is important: two-thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.
The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to get heart disease. But women of all ages should be concerned about heart disease. All women can take steps to prevent it by practicing healthy lifestyle habits.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Heart Disease(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/heart-disease.cfm
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Heart Disease and Heart Attacks: What Women Need to Know(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/risk/287.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/heartdisease/risk/287.printerview.html
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Heart Truth for Women
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/material/factsheet_actionplan.pdf
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Healthy Heart Handbook for Women(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - Large PDF file - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/hhw/hdbk_wmn.pdf
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Heart Disease in Women
(Food and Drug Administration, Office of Women's Health) - http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/heart.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/spanish/heart-spanish.html -
Heart Truth(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/
- Lowered HRT Use May Have Cut Heart Attacks(04/24/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83346.html
- Breast-Feeding a Boon to Mom's Heart(04/21/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83182.html
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy a Heart Risk(04/09/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82769.html
- More News on Heart Disease in Women http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_h.html#heartdiseaseinwomen
- Gender Differences in Diagnosis and Management of Heart Disease(Women's Heart Foundation) - http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartDisease/gender_differences.asp
- Signs & Symptoms(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=36&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Tests & Diagnosis(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=11&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Angioplasty and Stents(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=143&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Bypass Surgery(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=144&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Clot Busters(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=134&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP)(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=147&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Pacemaker & ICD(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=145&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=146&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Heart Disease in Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/heart-disease/HB00040/METHOD=print
- How to Keep Your Heart Healthy(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/603_heart.html
- Heart Healthy Diet(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=155&Itemid=1&option=com_content
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Heart Healthy Eating(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/heart-healthy-eating.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://womenshealth.gov/espanol/preguntas/healtheat.htm
- Cardiac Rehabilitation(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=152&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Mental Recovery(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=154&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Physical Recovery(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=153&Itemid=1&option=com_content
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Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/material/factsheet_heartdisease.pdf
- Cardiac Arrhythmia Management: Why Women Are Different from Men(Women's Heart Foundation) - http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartDisease/cardiac_arrhythmias.asp
- Cardiac Syndrome X(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=73&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Chest Pain/Angina(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=72&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Heart Attack(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=70&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Mild Heart Attack(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=71&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Prinzmetal's Angina(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=74&Itemid=1&option=com_content
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About High Blood Pressure: A Special Message for Women(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2123
Also available in Spanish http://es.aha.drtango.com/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2123
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Heart Truth for African American Women(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/material/factsheet_aa.pdf
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Heart Truth for Latinas(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/material/factsheet_latina.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/press/lat_factsheet.pdf
- Who's Taking Your Family's Health to Heart(American College of Cardiology) - http://www.acc.org/media/patient/heart/family.htm
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Women and Cholesterol(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=185
Also available in Spanish http://esamericanheart.convertlanguage.com/presenter.jhtml?identifier=185
- For Your Heart(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart/
- Heart & Circulation(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=69&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Cardiovascular Screening(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/health/cardio.asp
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Heart Disease in Women(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=(%22heart+diseases%22+OR+%22cardiovascular+diseases%22)+AND+women
- AHA Ranks America's Most Heart Friendly Cities for Women(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=424
- Alcohol's Impact on Heart and Stroke Risk May Differ for Men, Women(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=462
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Does Measuring Genetic Variations at Chromosome 9p21.3 Help to Predict Cardiovascular Disease in Women?(American College of Physicians) - Links to PDF - http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/150/2/I-36.pdf
- Hormone Therapy: Does Timing Matter?(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=392
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Osteoporosis Drug Raloxifene Does Not Protect against Coronary Heart Disease, but Reduces Breast Cancer Risk(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/raloxifene0806
- Some Women More Likely to Miss or Ignore Heart Attack Warning Signs(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=409
- Women May Be More Likely to Experience EMS Delays for Heart Care(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=637
- Women on Mediterranean-Type Diets May Lower Heart, Stroke Risk(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=671
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effects of age, gender, obesity, and diabetes on the efficacy... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19356442&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Gender differences in coronary artery disease: review of diagnostic challenges... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19332963&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Influence of patient age and sex on delivery of guideline-recommended... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19332206&tool=MedlinePlus
- Heart Disease in Women -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=heart+diseases[majr]+AND+(sex+factors[mh]+AND+female[mh]+OR+women[ti]+OR+women's+health[mh]+OR+wise[ti])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Cardiac Glossary(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3038158
- Deciphering Heart Disease Medspeak(Medical Library Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.mlanet.org/pdf/heart-disease1.pdf
- Heart Healthy Women: Glossary(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=423&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Find an Accredited Echocardiography Laboratory or Vascular Laboratory(American Society of Echocardiography) - http://www.asecho.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3333
- American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
- Facts about Women and Cardiovascular Disease(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2876
- Women and Heart Disease Facts(Women's Heart Foundation) - http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartDisease/heart_disease_facts.asp
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Guidelines for Better Heart Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter07/articles/winter07pg5.html
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Heart Disease Affects Women of All Ages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter07/articles/winter07pg6.html
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The Red Dress: Getting to the Heart of Women's Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter07/articles/winter07pg4-6.html
- Angioplasty - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/angioplasty.html
- Arrhythmia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/arrhythmia.html
- Congenital Heart Defects - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/congenitalheartdefects.html
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/coronaryarterybypasssurgery.html
- Heart Failure - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartfailure.html
- Heart Valve Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartvalvediseases.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Heart Disease in Women is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/