Heart Disease Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Americans. It usually develops in women after menopause when estrogen levels are low.
Males are prone to the disease at a much earlier age than women.
For men, the average age falls before 50 and for females, after age 55. If your mother or father had heart disease, your risk goes up about 30 percent. However, there are many steps you can take to prevent or delay your risk of acquiring heart disease. What You Can Do Now Work out . Couch potatoes have about a 25 percent greater risk of developing the disease than their active peers.