 Heart disease is the number one killer of women, claiming the life of a woman every 60 seconds. One in two women in the United States dies of heart disease or stroke, while 1 in 30 dies of breast cancer. (The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is South Carolina’s leading killer of women among all racial and ethnic groups. In 2000 alone, more than 7,000 women in South Carolina died of cardiovascular disease. (SC DHEC, “South Carolina Burden of Cardiovascular Disease, 2002 Report”)
According to an American Heart Association survey, fewer than 1 in 10 women perceive heart disease as their greatest health threat.
38 percent of women will die within one year after having a heart attack, compared to 25 percent of men. (American Heart Association)
Minority women are at increased risk for heart disease. The death rate due to heart disease is substantially higher for black women than white women. (The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
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