Nowhere are the health choices a woman makes during her lifetime more evident than in her cardiovascular health. Many people think that heart disease is an issue that concerns only men, but women are just as susceptible. In fact, heart disease caused by atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death and disability in women after menopause. Heart disease frequently goes undiagnosed in women because it can be more difficult to detect using the typical testing methods, such as angiograms. Heart attack symptoms may be diagnosed as other conditions, such as panic attacks. Women may even have heart attacks with no symptoms whatsoever.

Studies have found that the first stages of coronary artery disease can begin early in life, at a time when most of us aren't likely to think too much about health issues. So women need to start thinking about health issues early on, for both themselves and their children.

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