Most women don’t know that heart disease is their number one killer.

Go Red for Women is the Heart Foundation’s campaign that unites women in the fight against heart disease – helping to raise awareness of their risk and promote healthier choices.

1. Myth: “Heart disease only happens to older men.”

Fact: Heart disease kills almost as many women as it does men.

Fact: On average, it kills 216 Australian women per week or almost 31 women per day. *

Fact: Heart disease risk increases significantly for women after they reach menopause.

2. Myth: “I have no signs of heart disease – I would know if I was at risk.”

Fact: Often there are no obvious or tell-tale symptoms of heart disease.

Apart from lifestyle habits, risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, diabetes and family history. Often these have no ‘tell tale’ symptoms and body shape is not always an indicator.

3. Myth: I’m in the prime of my life – I don’t need to be concerned about heart disease.

Fact: Women’s risk of heart disease increases significantly after menopause. It’s an important health issue for women over 45.

Women tend to develop heart disease at a later age than men due to oestrogen providing some protection during the reproductive years. Other risk factors, such as smoking, physical inactivity and high blood pressure, can also increase a woman’s risk.

4. Myth: More women die of breast cancer.

Fact: Heart disease kills four times as many women as breast cancer. That's over 11,000 women who die of heart disease every year in Australia.

Cancer organisations have done an excellent job in raising the profile of breast cancer. The Heart Foundation encourages women to be as vigilant in looking after their heart health as they are about their breast health.

Challenge the myths and share these facts with your friends. The good news is that heart disease is largely preventable.

You can reduce your risks by living a healthier lifestyle. Aim for a healthy
weight, reduce your intake of saturated fats and salt, quit smoking and be more physically active.

Click here to learn more about the risks.

* Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death, Australia, 2008