Raising Awareness of Women and Heart Disease—Women's Hearts are Different

Even though a woman has a one in two lifetime risk of dying from a coronary event, women and health care providers do not realize that heart disease is the greatest health risk for women. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of women and heart disease. The article summarizes the evidence-based literature regarding the epidemiology of heart disease in women, risk factors and risk factor stratification, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. The text includes the American Heart Association's 2007 Evidenced Based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.