About 24 percent of women age 20 years and older have high blood pressure. Women are at an even greater risk after menopause because older women have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. More than one-half of all women older than 55 years suffer from this condition. High blood pressure is more prevalent and more severe in black women than in white women. If family members have had heart disease, a woman is more likely to develop it.
Race is also a factor.
Physical Inactivity Numerous studies have shown that a lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Heart disease is almost twice as likely to develop in inactive people than in those who are more physically active. Obesity Excess body weight in women is linked with heart disease, stroke, and death from other heart related causes. As a woman becomes more overweight, her risk for heart disease increases. Individuals who are overweight are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors.