This is made worse if people smoke or eat a high fat diet. Question 8 tells you more about how to control your stress. Over one in three women die from heart disease or stroke. This is slightly higher than the number of men. On average women live longer than men.
Women tend to be older when they have a heart attack, and often are more likely to die from it.
Women are much more likely to develop heart disease after menopause. The risk goes up because their bodies don't produce as much estrogen, a hormone that protects the heart and blood vessels. Women who smoke are at least twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke. For those who smoke and take birth control pills, the risk goes up 30 times if they are under 35, and as much as 400 times for those 35 or older. For more on heart health for women, including a quiz to test your knowledge, visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Web site .