Awareness and prevention are critical for better heart health. Sixty-four percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. This silent killer can be detected through routine outpatient diagnostic studies and treated with interventional procedures. The American Heart Association has published guidelines for preventing heart disease and stroke in women based on a woman’s individual cardiovascular health.

Often, making lifestyle changes is all that's needed to improve a woman’s heart health. Smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity, and obesity can greatly increase your chances of heart disease and stroke. Type-2 Diabetes is an even stronger contributing risk factor for heart disease in women than in men. Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight reduce the risk of Type-2 Diabetes.

By taking action, older women and especially those who already have heart disease can reduce their risk of developing heart-related problems. In fact, women can lower their heart disease risk by as much as 82 percent just by leading a healthy lifestyle.

Numbers don’t lie, and the story needs to be told.