Video: 6 things every woman should know about heart disease By Mayo Clinic Staff Share Facebook Twitter Print details Think heart disease primarily affects men? In fact, it's the number one killer of both women and men. Half of women don't know their risk. Knowing about your risk factors is the first step in being proactive about your health. When you know which numbers matter, and which screening and prevention steps are important, you can work better with your health care provider. And knowing the symptoms means you'll be more likely to recognize them in the event of a heart attack, so you can get help fast. Watch now to learn more about the unique risks women face with their hearts. Show transcript 6 things every woman should know about heart disease We underestimate the risk. Many women don't know heart disease is their No. 1 killer. 90 percent of us have 1 or more risk factors. Cholesterol? Smoking? Age? Family history? Blood pressure? Which risk factors can you change? Some risks are worse for women. High blood pressure, smoking and diabetes lead to more heart disease in women than men. Symptoms can be more subtle in women. Jaw, neck and back pain are heart attack symptoms. Also cold sweat, nausea or shortness of breath. Women aren't treated as aggressively. They're less likely than men to get angioplasty, stents or bypass surgery after a heart attack. There's a lot you can do, starting today. Talk to your doctor about which screening and prevention steps are most important for you. Guidance from the cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons at Mayo Clinic.Get more healthy action tips delivered daily when you download the Mayo Clinic app. Show references Women and heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm. Accessed April 12, 2022. Heart disease statistics at a glance. American Heart Association. https://professional.heart.org/en/science-news/heart-disease-and-stroke-statistics-2022-update. Accessed April 12, 2022. Ferrario C, et al. Hemodynamic and hormonal patterns of untreated essential hypertension in men and women. Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease. 2013;7:293. Heart attack signs in women. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Heart-Attack-Symptoms-in-Women_UCM_436448_Article.jsp#.V9a3YJMrJPs. Accessed Sept. 12, 2016. VID-20305592