It Helps To Know The more women know about cardiovascular diseases and their risks for developing them, the more powerful they become in taking control of their health and possibly preventing the onset of heart disease. Staying knowledgeable can help you not only remain healthy and avoid potential cardiovascular conditions, but help you stay alive. Cardiovascular disease is by far the country's leading cause of death among women. 1 Each year, 12 times as many women die from cardiovascular diseases than breast cancer, and nearly two times as many die from cardiovascular diseases than all forms of cancer combined. 1 Twenty percent of U.S. women suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease. 1 Cardiovascular disease claims more than 500,000 female lives annually. One out of every two women will die of some cardiovascular event. 1 Cigarette smoking estimates show that 23.4 million U.S. women are smokers, putting them at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. 1 Heart attack, though usually occurring later in life, is twice as deadly in women as in men. 2 Stroke is the third leading cause of death among American women. 2 Diabetic women have a five-fold risk of developing coronary artery disease than the general population and carry twice the risk of diabetic men. 3 Postmenopausal estrogen replacement decreases coronary artery disease risk by 56%. 3 Women taking the daily equivalent of 80 mg. of aspirin had a 32% reduction in heart attack risk.3 1 American Heart Association, Biostatistical Fact Sheets, 1997 2 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Bayer Corporation 3 American Heart Association