Men initially have a greater risk for developing coronary heart disease than women do.
Once a woman reaches menopause however, her risk for heart disease eventually equals or surpasses that of a man. Experts believe this may be due in part to a decrease in the production of estrogen, a female sex hormone that appears to offer some protection against heart disease. Coronary heart disease remains the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, accounting for more than 500,000 deaths from heart attacks each year. Experts agree that many of these deaths can be prevented by changes in lifestyle, which when implemented, can directly reduce your chances for developing coronary heart disease. Risk factors for coronary heart disease are circumstances or conditions that increase the likelihood of your developing this disease.