Heart Facts

Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women.

One in five women has some form of heart disease.

In 1999, heart disease caused the deaths of 512,904 females. 53.5% of all deaths from heart disease were females.

One out of three women compared with one out of four men will die within one year after having a heart attack.

A woman’s chance of developing heart disease increases after she goes through menopause.

More women than men will suffer a second heart attack within six years after their first heart attack.

African American women are 60 percent more likely to die of heart disease than white women.

Medical conditions, bad habits and other factors damage the walls of the coronary arteries. Cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood collect on the damaged artery walls. The fatty substances build up layer upon layer and form a hard substance called plaque. Plaque build-up narrows the arteries reducing or blocking the flow of blood to the heart.

At first, you may not realize you are developing heart disease. You can’t see or feel plaque build on the walls of your arteries. However, when this build up effects the flow of your blood to your heart, the results can be serious.

Angina
Angina occurs when the arteries that supply blood to your heart are severely blocked. Although scary, angina does not cause any permanent damage.

Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the arteries that supply blood to your heart are completely blocked. A heart attack causes permanent damage to your heart and can be fatal.

• Unusual chest pain, pressure or burning which may spread into left or right arm, neck, back or jaw.
• Sweating
• Nausea (feeling like you are going to throw up)
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath