Coronary heart disease takes years to develop, and, in the case of women, it generally takes almost a decade longer to show up than it does in men. Estrogen helps protect women against heart disease. It reduces the risk for heart disease until a woman goes through menopause. After that point, the risk for heart disease in women is the same as that for men.

Many people think that breast cancer is the biggest health concern for women. But coronary heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. More women die from stroke than do men.

Women have a lower chance of surviving heart attacks than men. Studies show that more women die within a year of having a heart attack than men. At older ages, women who have had heart attacks are twice as likely as men are to die from them within a few weeks.

Before menopause, many women seem to be protected from heart attack and stroke. This may be from the hormone estrogen. Estrogen raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. But as women approach menopause, around age 50, things change. The average woman’s blood cholesterol begins to rise. After menopause, women’s risk for heart attack and stroke continues to rise with age. Loss of estrogen is a large contributor to women’s developing heart disease after menopause.

Cholesterol levels become more stable in men around age 55. But in most women, both LDL and total cholesterol levels start to rise. This is because the levels of estrogen fall after menopause.

The death rate for African-American females from coronary heart disease is one-third higher than the rate for Caucasian females. African-American females are almost twice as likely to have a stroke. They also have a higher risk of dying than Caucasian females.

Smoking is the greatest single preventable cause of death. For women, smoking is the biggest preventable risk factor for heart attack and stroke. This is also true for men.

Women who smoke run more than twice the risk of having a heart attack as women who do not smoke. For women, smoking is the most important preventable risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Other healthy habits are controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular checkups. Many of the risks for cardiovascular diseases can be controlled by choosing healthy life habits. If women take control of their lives and choose habits that promote heart health, they can help prevent heart disease and stroke.

Coronary heart disease is a major risk factor for stroke.