Heart disease is one of the most serious health problems of our times – take steps now to reduce your risk of developing this disease.

By now we’ve all heard it: Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease. In fact, it is the leading cause of death among women over age 65. Women generally develop heart problems later in life than men – typically 7 or 8 years later. However, by about age 65, a woman’s risk for heart disease is almost the same as a man’s.

Take action to protect yourself

For both men and women, the biggest risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, family history, and age. You can’t do much about your family history or your age, but you can minimize your risk by making some lifestyle changes.

If you need medicine

If you have coronary artery disease or angina, or if you have had a heart attack, taking an aspirin every day may lower your risk of problems. Aspirin makes your blood thinner so that it is less likely to make a blood clot that can block an artery. However, aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and other problems. Talk to your doctor about whether you should consider taking aspirin. Cholesterol-lowering medicines like statins lower the risk of heart attacks in men. There is not enough evidence to show that these medicines work as well for women who have never had a heart attack. However, if you have already had a heart attack, cholesterol-lowering medicines can lower your risk of another attack. Medicines called beta blockers and ACE inhibitors may also help if you have heart problems. Ask your doctor if any of these medicines might be right for you.