Heart health for women: Protecting against disease and stroke as we age

As women age, keeping our hearts healthy becomes even more important. Issues like heart disease and stroke can affect how our heart and blood vessels work, and this can lead to serious health problems.  

Certain ‘risk factors’ can make us more likely to have heart problems. Risk factors include habits like smoking, health issues like high blood pressure, making choices about what we eat that don’t protect our wellbeing, and not being active. 

But here’s the good news: we all have the power to make our hearts stronger. By understanding and managing our risk factors, we can set ourselves on the right path to having a healthy heart as we age. Even tiny changes can have a big impact on your heart health.  

Read through the following sections for more information about some of the risks women face with heart health, and the steps we can take to protect against heart disease and stroke as we age.  

And always remember, talking with your doctor or nurse can give you more ideas and encouragement.