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You can't control these risk factors. But knowing what they are can help you understand your overall risk for heart disease.
Women usually develop heart disease about 10 to 15 years later than men. This is because until menopause, the ovaries produce estrogen. Estrogen protects women against plaque buildup. But at menopause the ovaries stop making estrogen, and your risk goes up. By age 70, women have about the same risk for heart disease as same-aged men. Menopause isn't the only reason getting older is a risk factor. As people age, arteries get stiffer and thicker. Also, systolic blood pressure (the top number) often goes up. These changes contribute to plaque buildup in artery walls.
Women with a father or brother who developed heart disease before age 55 are at higher risk. Women with a mother or sister who developed heart disease before age 65 are also at higher risk. However, young women with a family history may not be aware of this risk. So, they may be less careful about living a heart-healthy lifestyle than men with a family history.
As a group, African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure. Research also suggests that racial and ethnic minorities are generally more likely to develop heart disease. The reasons for this greater risk are unclear.
Content last updated February 01, 2009.
Resources last updated February 01, 2009.
A federal government website managed by the
Office on Women's Health
in the
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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