SpringfieldNewsSun.com

According to the American Heart Association, every year more than 500,000 American women die of cardiovascular disease, making it the number one killer of American women.

Overall, an estimated six and one half million American women of all ages suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD).

African-American women are more likely to die of CHD than Caucasian women. African-American women have greater incidence of high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which increase the risk of heart disease. They are more likely to die from stroke and heart attacks than Caucasian women. Heart disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, Native Americans and native Hawaiians. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes in these ethnic groups.

Coronary heart disease is a disease of the heart's blood vessels that, if untreated, can cause heart attacks. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, CHD results.

Menopausal hormone therapy—also known as hormone replacement therapy—once was prescribed for preventing heart disease in addition to treating menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. But, findings from the Women's Health Initiative now suggest that some forms of menopausal hormone therapy increase a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease, rather than preventing it. Health experts recommend against prescribing hormone therapy to prevent heart disease.

Smoking is one of the four major risk factors for coronary artery disease. Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmoking women, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die and die suddenly (within an hour) than are nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking also acts with other risk factors to greatly increase the risk for coronary heart disease, such as atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries").

Even slightly elevated blood pressure can double your risk for coronary heart disease. High blood pressure also increases your chance of stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. More than half of women over 55 have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is more common and more severe in African-American women.

Today, about a quarter of all American women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to pose a serious risk for heart disease. More than half of women over age 55 need to lower their blood cholesterol, and a quarter of all American women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to pose a serious risk for CHD.

Several recent studies have reported that moderate drinkers—for women that means no more than one drink per day—are less likely to develop heart disease than people who don't drink any alcohol. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine, or 1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

Overweight women are much more likely to develop heart-related problems than women who aren't. Obesity is linked with coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and death from heart-related causes. The more overweight you are, the higher your risk for heart disease.