Shocking Heart Health Statistics Every Woman Should Know

How much do you really know about heart disease? Other than "it's dangerous," probably not much. However, there's a lot of important stuff you should understand about your heart. Without further ado, here's a list of shocking health statistics every woman should know.

Number One Killer

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for all humans. Period. In the US, a total of 610,000 people die of heart failure per year, making it the number one killer across almost all demographic groups. These HCG Diet, oil-free diet or sugar-free diet products can help with your heart disease.

Only 54 Percent Know

That's right, only 54 percent of women in America know that heart disease is so dangerous. There's a bunch of other misconceptions too, like that women aren't actually affected by it. That's just not true. In fact, women have a higher lifetime risk of a stroke than men do.

44 Million Women Affected

Currently, around 44 million U.S. women are affected by cardiovascular disease. That's about 35 percent of the female population, or over a third.

370,000 Killed Annually By Coronary Heart Disease

Out of the 610,000 annual deaths, over half are a direct result of coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is the most common cardiovascular disease and is extremely dangerous to both men and women. Family history, blood sugar and weight all have a strong impact on the health of your heart.

45 Percent of Attacks Are "Silent"

It's not always apparent when you're actually experiencing a heart attack. Around 45 percent are what's called "silent," they don't have any obvious symptoms. In fact, women are more likely than men to have atypical (or unusual) symptoms. These include unexplained sweating, pain in the jaw, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. A lot of the time these are diagnosed after the fact with electrocardiograms.

49 Percent of Americans Are At Risk

There are three main risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. Roughly 49 percent of Americans have at least one of these traits. That's almost half. However, knowing about these factors means you can focus on what you need to change.

80 Percent of Events Are Preventable

Cardiovascular health can be improved. Around 80 percent of heart disease and stroke episodes can be avoided through education and lifestyle changes. The battle is not hopeless.

Replacing Saturated Fats Can Reduce Risk By 25 Percent

Saturated fats are known to be extremely unhealthy. Still, it's surprising to see how much replacing them with unsaturated fats can affect your chances of cardiovascular disease. This simple switch can reduce risk by a significant 25 percent.

150 Minutes of Exercise Lowers Risk By 22 Percent

Exercising is one major way to strengthen your body and heart, no matter your age. Studies have shown that moderately exercising for 150 minutes per week lowers the chance of a heart attack by 22 percent. That's not even just for young people, that's for those over the age of 45.

Hopefully, you learned a bit from these heart health statistics. It's pretty scary how common cardiovascular disease is, so if you have any worries or questions, make sure to contact your doctor. Women are in just as much danger as men, and like men benefit from exercise, weight management and an overall healthy lifestyle.