Know the Risk

Obesity
Today, more than half of adult American women are overweight and one-third are obese. By the time a woman is 20 percent over her ideal weight, she’s doubled her chances of incurring heart disease.

High blood pressure
It forces your heart to work harder than normal which increases the risk of your arteries getting injured. By the time a woman reaches menopause, the chance of her blood pressure exceeding the normal level of 120/80 are greater than a man's.

Smoking
For reasons not yet understood, females who light up on a regular basis are 50 percent more likely to develop heart disease than male smokers and four times more susceptible to heart problems than someone who’s never smoked. Saddleback Memorial now offers free smoking cessation classes.

High cholesterol
When total cholesterol levels exceed 200 mg/dl, plaque can build up in arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke. But the amount of specific cholesterol types plays a major role in overall cardiovascular health. In addition to high total cholesterol, LDL (bad) and triglyceride levels, having a low HDL (good) level is considered a risk factor for heart disease.

Physical inactivity
A sedentary lifestyle is linked with high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity---all risk factors for heart disease.