Heart disease is not perceived as a disease in males today. It affects women with the same intensity as in men. Heart or cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in women today. The occurrence of a heart disease in women is high these days and two out of three women aged 65 or more die every year due to heart diseases. Most think that the leading cause in women is cancer, but heart disease is the real culprit. For men, the rate has been constantly declining, where as it is increasing for women. The issue of heart disease is somehow overlooked or not paid attention to in females. It could be due to the high mortality rate of men due to heart attacks in the past.

The symptoms of a coronary heart disease (CHD) differ from men to women. While Men have severe pain in the left arm and the chest, women have signs of nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, feelings of anxiety, and pain in the upper back and jaw. Unlike men, women are not aware of their risk, and are at higher risk of death and also of a second attack of the heart. They tend to have more complications after angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery. Usually they are less attended by a cardiologist and less likely to have a blood test and an electrocardiogram done to determine the attack.

Some of the factors that put women at risk of the CHD are a woman's age, hormonal changes, hypertension, overweight status, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, diabetes, lipid abnormalities and the history of the family. It is advised for women to go for a cholesterol test, which shows the levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) and triglycerides. HDL popularly known as good cholesterol should be at healthy levels and a low level of HDL is an indicator of future heart disease in women. A low level of LDL or bad cholesterol is always preferable. Triglycerides affect older women more. For women of age 60 or more, If the cholesterol test is normal, then it is good to go for an advanced and detailed test which shows lipoprotein(a) and apolipoprotein B and A-1.

Menopause in women is also a major indicator of CHD. CHD mostly occur after 10 years of menopause. When Estrogen levels lower, the LDL cholesterol increase and subsequently total cholesterol and triglycerides, but a decline in the HDL cholesterol level, which then puts the women at a much higher risk of a CHD. Smoking is related to almost half of the heart ailments such as angina or a heart attack.

The probability of a heart disease occurrence is 300% in men and 600% in women who smoke. The risk of a CHD diminishes after two to three years of quitting smoking. The ratio of waist to hip is also an indicator of the occurrence of a heart disease. A waist of more than 35 inches or a waist-hip ratio of 0.9 is highly dangerous for women. Standard tests are available today to determine the overall health of a woman and they need to be done regularly to check the occurrence of deadly diseases like coronary heart disease.

Women need to take several measures to prevent the onset of a heart disease in their lives. The measures have to be strictly followed as age goes up. But one need to remember that any kind of precautionary cause or measure taken at an early age will have its own benefits in the future and every effort will be rewarded proportionally. Some of the popularly known, but highly neglected procedures are regular exercise, balanced diet and a stress free life. Exercise may include jogging, running, walking, swimming, cycling, playing any game like tennis or table tennis or hand ball. A balanced diet comprises of having whole and organic foods rather than refined foods, having fresh fruits and vegetables, having foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like fish, having anti-oxidants like green tea, vitamin C and E, having small meals at regular intervals and never skipping any meal. Stress seems to be an inherent part of today's lifestyle. Maintaining a positive attitude towards life and being cheerful all the time go a long way in dealing with stress. Every woman above the age of 40 is recommended a tablet of aspirin everyday to keep coronary heart disease at bay.