Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among Canadian women and, unfortunately, the first cardiovascular event experienced by a woman is often fatal. A woman having a heart attack is often slower to recognize the symptoms and thus takes longer to get to the hospital (which reduces the chances of receiving timely therapy). Women also have higher rates of a second heart attack while in hospital, and have a higher death rate than men. Canadian women do not think of cardiovascular disease as a major health concern and believe that cancer, specifically breast cancer, is more of a threat. Women appear to be protected from the complications of atherosclerosis until menopause. Generally speaking, women lag about 10 years behind men in the onset of coronary heart disease (CHD). Once past menopause, the rate of death from heart disease begins to equalize for men and women. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among post-menopausal women. Because CHD is often thought of as a "man's disease", women often do not do all they can to modify their risk factors and are slow to recognize symptoms of CHD.

Symptoms of heart disease include:
• Pain or discomfort in the chest that may or may not be triggered by factors (e.g. physical activity, emotional stress, meals and cold air)
• pain or discomfort may radiate to lower jaw, neck or shoulder
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Difficulty performing once easy activities
• Numbness or tingling in the face or limbs
• Nausea

Listed below are various risk factors associated with CHD:
• Cigarette smoking
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Elevated cholesterol levels in the blood
• Obesity/sedentary lifestyle
• Diabetes
• Menopause
• Age over 45 years
• Family history

Most of the studies that have evaluated the risk factor management of cardiovascular disease have been conducted primarily in men. The exclusion of women in these studies does not decrease the importance of modifying these risk factors to prevent cardiovascular disease in women.