How much to the questions below apply to you? It's important to understand which heart disease risk factors YOU have, and what you can do about them.

• Are you under a lot of stress?
  It has been shown that too much stress contributes to heart problems and even increases the risk of death. Depression is also an important risk factor, occurring nearly twice as often in women with heart disease. The good news is there are ways you can lower your stress and help manage depression. This can be done through counseling, medication, regular physical activity and stress management programs including support groups.



• Are you overweight?
  Overweight women are much more likely to develop heart-related problems, even if they have no other risk factors. Being overweight also appears to contribute to heart disease by increasing the chances of developing other major risk factors. These include diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.



• Do you have high blood pressure?
  High blood pressure or hypertension can damage the blood vessels, allowing cholesterol and other substances to build up. High blood pressure also increases the workload on the heart. This extra workload may lead to a heart attack or stroke. Aim to keep your blood pressure below 120/80.



• Do you have high cholesterol?
  Extra cholesterol and fat in the blood can build up as plaque in the arteries of the heart and reduce or block blood flow. If over time the blood supply is cut off completely, or if the plaque ruptures, you will have a heart attack. The two key ways to reduce cholesterol are through lifestyle changes and medication. Have your cholesterol panel checked, including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides.



• Do you have diabetes?
  Women with diabetes are more likely to have higher blood pressure, higher triglyceride levels, low levels of good cholesterol and problems with how well the heart pumps. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar levels will help to prevent complications of diabetes such as heart disease and stroke.



• Do you have an inactive lifestyle?
  Lack of physical activity raises your risk of heart disease. Most women do not get the recommended amount of physical activity. Research shows that 30 minutes of moderate activity -- such as taking a brisk walk, raking leaves, housecleaning or gardening – most days each week helps to protect your heart health.



• Do you have estrogen deficiency?
  Loss of estrogen after menopause increases your risk of developing heart disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has now been shown not to prevent heart disease, and in fact, new research shows that certain types of HRT may result in increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. However, HRTs do have other benefits, so If you are taking HRT or are considering it, talk to your doctor about your specific situation.



• Do you have a family history of heart disease?
  It is important to inform your doctor of any family history of heart disease. If your mother or sister was diagnosed with coronary heart disease or had a heart attack before age 65 or your father or brother before age 55, you are considered to be at higher risk. Heart disease is also higher among African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans.

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you should talk to your doctor about your chances for heart disease and what you can do to lower your risk. Use our list of questions to ask your doctor to help guide your discussion.