Heart Disease and Women: The Risk Most Women Underestimate

By The Redeemer Sports

Ask a group of women what the biggest threat to their health is, and heart disease rarely tops the list. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only about half (56%) of US women recognize that heart disease is their number 1 killer.

The numbers are not close. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and it can affect women at any age. In 2023 it was responsible for the deaths of 304,970 women, about 1 in every 5 female deaths. The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign adds another comparison: cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.

For the women in our sports community – athletes, coaches, and the mothers who run the whole operation – this is worth a few minutes. Here is what the current evidence says about the risk, the symptoms, and the steps that actually lower it.

Key takeaways

• The scale: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for US women; in 2023 it caused 304,970 deaths, about 1 in 5 female deaths, yet only about 56% of women recognize it as their top killer.
• The symptoms can look different: Women’s symptoms can include dull or heavy chest discomfort, pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back, nausea, vomiting, and unusual tiredness – and some women have no symptoms at all.
• Blood pressure is underdiagnosed: 58.9 million US women (45.7%) have high blood pressure (130/80 mm Hg or higher) or take medication for it, and fewer than 1 in 4 women with high blood pressure (22.8%) have it under control.
• It is largely preventable: The CDC’s risk-reduction steps include knowing your blood pressure, discussing diabetes testing, not smoking, checking cholesterol and triglycerides, and getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.

Why the risk is underestimated

Awareness has a real gap. The CDC finds that only about half (56%) of US women recognize heart disease as their number 1 killer, while the American Heart Association reports that only 44% of women recognize cardiovascular disease as their greatest health threat – even though it kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.

The condition is also far more common than most people assume. Among females 20 years and older, nearly 45% are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, according to the AHA. And the AHA notes that heart disease and stroke can affect a woman at any age, which is why understanding personal risk factors and family history matters long before retirement. One more statistic worth sitting with: fewer than half of women entering pregnancy in the United States have good heart health.

The symptoms women actually get

The Hollywood heart attack – sudden, crushing chest pain – is not the whole picture for women. The CDC notes that although some women have no symptoms, others may feel angina, usually a dull or heavy chest discomfort or ache; pain in the neck, jaw, or throat; or pain in the upper abdomen or back. These can happen at rest or during activity. Women may also have nausea, vomiting, and tiredness that won’t go away or feels excessive.

That range of symptoms is exactly why heart problems in women get explained away as stress, indigestion, or a tough week. For some women, the CDC says, the first signs of heart disease are an emergency: chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, fluttering feelings in the chest, or sudden fatigue and swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen. If you have any of these, don’t delay – call 911 right away.

The blood pressure problem

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and the CDC’s figures for women are striking: 58.9 million women in the United States, 45.7%, have high blood pressure (defined as 130/80 mm Hg or higher) or are taking blood pressure medicine. That includes almost 1 in 5 women of reproductive age.

Two details make this harder than it sounds. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so you cannot feel it. And the CDC reports it is often underdiagnosed in women: fewer than 1 in 4 women with high blood pressure (22.8%) have their condition under control. Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and dementia. The only way to know your number is to measure it regularly and report elevated readings to your health care team – the same advice we gave the men in 5 Health Numbers Every Man Should Know.

After menopause, the risk climbs

The most common form of heart disease is coronary heart disease, caused by plaque building up in the walls of the arteries that supply the heart. The CDC notes that after menopause, women are at higher risk of coronary heart disease because of hormonal changes.

That does not make heart disease inevitable after menopause; it makes the years around it the right time to get serious about the numbers – blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar – and about symptoms that are easy to brush off.

What actually lowers the risk

The CDC’s risk-reduction guidance for women is practical and specific:

• Know your blood pressure. High blood pressure has no symptoms; check it regularly and report elevated readings to your health care team.
• Talk about diabetes testing. Uncontrolled diabetes raises heart disease risk, so ask your doctor whether you should be tested.
• Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, learn ways to quit; if you don’t, don’t start.
• Check cholesterol and triglycerides. Talk to your doctor about getting both measured.
• Move most days. Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week – and the CDC notes that even short “doses” of activity are good for your heart.

That last point is where our sports community has a head start. The women already coaching, training, and logging miles are doing one of the most evidence-backed things on the list.

The bottom line

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, it can strike at any age, and its symptoms in women are easier to miss than the textbook version. The encouraging half of the story is how much of the risk is measurable and modifiable. Know your numbers, take symptoms seriously, and call 911 when the emergency signs appear. We covered how these risks show up differently for men in Heart Disease and Men: Signs, Risks, and Reducers, and the screening basics everyone should schedule in The Men’s Health Checklist – a women’s screening checklist deserves the same calendar discipline.

A clinician’s note: Statistics describe populations, not individuals. Your personal risk depends on your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, family history, and other factors your clinician can assess directly. If you notice possible heart symptoms – especially chest discomfort, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, or pain in the neck, jaw, back, or upper abdomen – treat them as worth checking, and treat the emergency signs above as worth a 911 call, not a wait-and-see.

Frequently asked questions

Isn’t heart disease mostly a men’s problem?

No. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States – 304,970 deaths in 2023, about 1 in every 5 female deaths – and the AHA reports cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined. The myth persists partly because awareness is low: only about 56% of US women recognize heart disease as their number 1 killer.

Can young women have heart disease?

Yes. The CDC states heart disease can affect women at any age, and the AHA notes nearly 45% of females 20 years and older are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. Risk factors appear early too: almost 1 in 5 women of reproductive age have high blood pressure or take medication for it.

What are the heart attack signs in women?

Per the CDC: chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Fluttering feelings in the chest, sudden fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen can also be first signs. Any of these means call 911 right away – don’t wait for them to pass.

How much physical activity does the CDC recommend for heart health?

At least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, and the CDC adds that even short “doses” of activity are good for your heart. Consistency matters more than intensity: regular moderate activity you actually repeat beats an ambitious plan you abandon.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Women and Heart Disease (leading cause of death for US women; 304,970 deaths in 2023, about 1 in 5 female deaths; 56% awareness; symptoms; when to call 911; high blood pressure figures including 58.9 million women, 45.7%, and 22.8% controlled; risk-reduction steps): https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/women-and-heart-disease.html
• American Heart Association, Go Red for Women – Facts About Heart Disease in Women (cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined; 44% awareness; nearly 45% of females 20 and older living with some form of cardiovascular disease; heart health before pregnancy): https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/facts

Source pages retrieved November 3, 2026.

This article is for education only and is not medical advice. It summarizes public health information from the CDC and the American Heart Association and may not reflect your personal situation. Talk with a qualified clinician about your own risk factors and symptoms, and call 911 immediately for possible heart attack or stroke symptoms.