The facts: Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, is the number one cause of death in women–it kills more women than the next seven causes of death combined, nearly twice as many women every year than all forms of cancer combined. According the American Heart Association, one in 2.5 women will die from cardiovascular diseases–one in 30 will die from breast cancer.

As you approach mid-life, your risk for cardiovascular disease is increasing. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women aged 35 and older. That means it’s not just a disease that affects older women anymore. And because women stop producing estrogen in mid-life, the risks for heart disease rise sharply during these key years.

If you were healthy as a young woman and took the measures to prevent cardiovascular disease, it’s important that you continue these healthy practices now more than ever. If you weren’t aware of your heart health in the past, now is the time to really focus on leading a heart-healthy lifestyle and preventing cardiovascular disease from affecting the rest of your life.

Click below to read about related topics.

Introduction
A Healthy Heart
Cardiovascular Disease
Understanding the Risks
Interpreting the Numbers
Steps You Can Take Today
On the Road to a Healthy Heart