Heart disease is the number one cause of death in American women. In fact, heart disease will claim more American women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined, including breast cancer. Because heart disease affects so many women, it’s important for women to be informed about heart disease prevention.

Heart disease can be more insidious for women than men. It often does not show itself with the classic sign of crushing chest pain. Oftentimes a woman with early heart disease will notice she feels tired, experiences heart palpitations, feels a little tightness in her chest from time to time and experience periods of nausea. She may not realize these are all signs of something much bigger: heart disease.

It’s important for women to watch for the precursors of heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. Women with these conditions are more likely to develop heart disease than healthy women who do not have these conditions.

How can you make a difference in regards to heart disease and women? Take care of your own health and get a heart disease screening if you suspect you may have any signs of this condition. Spread the news about the importance of following a diet for heart disease prevention, a diet full of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Exercise daily and encourage the women around you to do so as well. Quit smoking and help the women you care for to quit as well. Drink alcohol responsibly; a glass of red wine a day can actually help improve your heart health, but more than seven drinks a week will cause more damage to your health than good.

Some risk factors cannot be controlled. Older women run a higher risk than younger women. Heredity also contributes to the problem. All women can help one another by encouraging each other to get annual physicals and to talk honestly with their doctors about any concerning symptoms.