Why are women at risk? Heart disease strikes women in alarming numbers, claiming the lives of more than 500,000 women every year in the United States. Here are some of the many reasons why women are especially at risk: Smoking rates for women are declining less than those for men.1 Approximately 25 percent of women report they get no regular sustained exercise.1 Approximately 52 percent of women over age 45 have high blood pressure.1 Approximately 40 percent of women over age 55 have high cholesterol.1 Women with diabetes are 9.5 times more likely to have a heart attack than women who do not have diabetes.2 The incidence of developing heart disease rises in women after menopause. African-American women are at increased risk for heart disease. The death rate due to heart disease is substantially higher for black women than white women. Sources: 1 American Heart Association (1999): Guide to Preventive Cardiology for Women (Consensus Panel Statement). Circulation, 99, 2480-2484. 2 American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Today. (2004, November 23). << BACK