Many women make the mistake of thinking that it is.
Most women, surveys show, don t understand their risks, says Rose Marie Robertson, MD, president of the American Heart Association. It s true more men develop heart disease and develop it earlier. However, women narrow the gap starting after menopause, when their level of estrogen which scientists believe offers some protection against heart disease drops. Even a woman s doctor may fail to pick up on the signs. The facts may be disheartening, yet women shouldn t throw up their hands and assume they re powerless to do anything.