Ask your doctor to help you decide the weight that's best for you. Don't smoke Smoking eliminates the natural biological protection you might obtain from the hormone estrogen. The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your heart disease risk. Heart Attack, stroke and other cardiovascular disease have killed more women than men every year since 1984. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men are to die from them within a few weeks.
Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women, and they have attacks earlier in life.
African Americans have more severe high blood pressure than whites and a higher risk of heart disease. Heart disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.