Go Red for Women
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in women; this includes coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmias, or hypertension. While heart attacks have decreased among older adults, it’s risen among younger women ages 35-54. This increase among women has been associated with risk factors such as:
- Women with diabetes
- Women who smoke
- Pregnancy / Reproductive related factors: pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, early menopause and autoimmune diseases
- Breast cancer and treatment (radiation, chemotherapy, treatment induced menopause, reduced physical activity)
Risk reduction is possible for both women and men. American Heart Association key measures to modify your risk for cardiovascular disease include Life’s Essential 8:
A Little More Information on Physical Activity
Physical activity is one of many lifestyle changes that is beneficial in maintaining heart health. However, self-reported data from the 2022 and 2024 National Health Interview Survey showed that 75% of women (18-44 years old) did not meet recommendations for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
| Physical Activity GOAL should be: |
| Moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity ≥150 minutes per week at moderate intensity OR ≥75 minutes per week at vigorous intensity OR an equivalent combination AND Muscle-strengthening activities (two or more sessions per week such with e.g. body weight, dumbbells, resistance bands) How do you know if you’re doing moderate or vigorous aerobic activity? Click here to find out how. |
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| BENEFITS |
| Improve cardiometabolic health (e.g., blood pressure, body composition, glucose metabolism) Improve sleep and mental health Muscle strengthening increases bone strength and density and muscle mass retention during weight loss During pregnancy, reduces risk for gestational diabetes, hypertension, postpartum depression, low-birthweight infant Muscle strengthening reduces risk for low back pain and Cesarean delivery back aches |
Resources
A.A. Kirkham, R.I. Beaudry, D.I. Paterson, J.R. Mackey, M.J. Haykowsky. Curing breast cancer and killing the heart: a novel model to explain elevated cardiovascular disease and mortality risk among women with early stage breast cancer. Prog Cardiovasc Dis, 62 (2019), pp. 116-126 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30797800/
Conklin KK, Nakayama JY, Van Dyke ME, Harley KG, Thompson HR. Leisure-Time Physical Activity Among Women of Reproductive Age — United States, 2022 and 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:634–639. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7441a2
Young L, Cho L. Unique cardiovascular risk factors in women. Heart. 2019 Nov;105(21):1656-1660. Epub 2019 Jul 17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31315936/
Forecasting the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the United States Through 2050—Prevalence of Risk Factors and Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association Volume 150, Number 4. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001256
