Cardiovascular disease is the top killer of women, but only 44 percent of women recognize cardiovascular disease as a risk for them, according to an article on the American Heart Association website.
One in 3 deaths among women are due to heart disease and stroke each year.
Here are nine more things to know about women's heart health, per the AHA:
- Eighty percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action.
- Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.
- Among women 20 and older, nearly 45 percent are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, and less than 50 percent of women entering pregnancy in the United States have good heart health.
- Cardiovascular disease is the top killer of new moms and accounts for more than one-third of maternal deaths. Overall, 10 percent to 20 percent of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increase a woman's risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
- Going through menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, but the approach of menopause marks when women's cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate.
- Women constitute 51.9 percent of high blood pressure deaths, and out of all women, 57.6 percent of Black women have hypertension.
- While there are an estimated 4.1 million female stroke survivors living today, approximately 57.5 percent of total stroke deaths are in women.
- Women are often less likely to receive bystander CPR because rescuers often fear accusations of inappropriate touching, sexual assault or injuring the victim.
- Only 38 percent of participants in clinical cardiovascular trials are women.