Coronary artery disease and stroke: what women need to know

• Women develop heart problems 7-8 years later than men, but at the age of 65, the risk is equalised for the two sexes.
• Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death for women over 65.
• The chance for a woman to die from coronary heart disease is much greater than for breast cancer.
• Coronary heart disease in women over 65 is responsible for more deaths than all the cancers together.
• A risky alarm is an increase in heart attacks in women aged 35-54 over the last 20 years. It is clear that we need to devote time and attention to the health of our heart.
• If the following symptoms appear you should seek immediate help: chest pain and pressure, shortness of breath, sore throat and upper back pain, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, unjustified sweating, sudden sweating and fatigue, dizziness.
• For women and men, the main aggravating factors are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, age.
• Although you cannot change your age or family history, there is much you can change in your way of life