Did you know that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for American women? Cancer gets a lot of press, but many more women die from heart disease each year than from all forms of cancer combined.

Women often perceive heart disease as an older person's disease that need not concern them until menopause.

A half-million women have heart attacks each year. A common symptom of coronary heart disease is chest pain or tightness, known as angina. It may be the earliest sign of heart disease and usually brings someone to a health care provider for the first time.

Making even one lifestyle change for your heart reduces your risk for heart disease. Change is hard for everyone, so take it one step at a time. Here are some tips to help you get started on making changes that are good for your heart.

Getting serious about heart health may seem like a huge project because it often means making changes in health habits. It’s a major effort for many people, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. Example: All women older than 20 should be screened for blood cholesterol levels. Here are more ways to prevent heart disease.

For many women, a heart attack may feel like a strange discomfort in the back or some other easily ignored sign, instead of crushing chest pain.

Getting serious about heart health may seem like a huge project because it often means making changes in health habits. It’s a major effort for many people, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. Example: All women older than 20 should be screened for blood cholesterol levels. Here are more ways to prevent heart disease.

Heart attacks often feel different to a woman than to a man. Women are more likely than men to have "silent" or unrecognized heart attacks (myocardial infarction). Not all heart attacks begin with sudden, crushing chest pain, the way they are often shown in the movies and on TV.

For many women, a heart attack may feel like a strange discomfort in the back or some other easily ignored sign, instead of crushing chest pain.