Still, that doesn't mean you're off scot-free when it comes to your heart health. During the first six years after a heart attack, women have a 33 percent risk of experiencing a second attack. If anything positive can be said about having a heart attack, it's that it provides an incentive to make healthy changes and take some heart-protecting steps. Here's an action plan every woman who has had a heart attack should take to heart. Stub out smoking.
Smoking is the leading cause of heart disease.
If you haven't quit already, there's no better time to do it than now. Before your next visit, tell your VA healthcare provider you'd like an evaluation of your fasting lipid profile, a measurement of the cholesterol and fat levels in your bloodstream. Undesirable levels should be treated aggressively if you have had a heart attack. Find out if you need a daily dose . Research shows that a daily dose slashes a person's chance of having a second heart attack by more than 30 percent.