Many women think heart disease is a man's problem.

It isn't.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among American women today, killing one woman about every minute, according to the American Heart Association. In fact, after age 50 – or about the time of menopause – nearly half of all deaths in women are due to some form of cardiovascular disease. That's more than all cancers combined.

But there is a bright side. A healthy lifestyle can go a long way in preventing heart disease, especially in menopausal women.

Learn more about reducing your risk of heart disease at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center’s Heart Disease and Menopause program Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Provena Healing Arts Pavilion in New Lenox. As part of its Red Hot Mamas lecture series, this free program will feature a thorough discussion of the incidence of heart disease in menopausal women by board-certified cardiologist JoAnn Donoghue, D.O., including heart disease risk factors, early detection and prevention.

In her presentation, Dr. Donoghue will share how to reduce the risk of heart disease by avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, incorporating physical activity into your daily routine, eating well and much more.

Dr. Donoghue will be joined by Margaret Downey, coordinator of Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Provena Saint Joes, who will share information about the life-saving Provena Heart Scan. A quick, easy CT scan, Heart Scan is designed for individuals who may be at risk for heart disease even though they may be symptom-free. The $99 test provides high-resolution pictures of the heart’s blood vessels, and measures the calcium and plaque buildup that leads to heart disease. A radiologist reviews the results and provides a “score” to the participant and his/her physician, who can then recommend treatment and lifestyle changes if necessary.

For more information or to register for Heart Disease and Menopause, call 815-725-9438. Registration and light refreshments begin at 6 p.m., with Dr. Donoghue’s presentation at 6:30. A question-and-answer session will follow.

The Provena Healing Arts Pavilion is located at 410 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox.

Fast Facts About Women and Heart Disease

    According to the American Heart Association:

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
• Heart disease causes one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
• An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease.
• The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood.
• While one in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, one in three dies of heart disease.
• Only one in five American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
• Women comprise only 24 percent of participants in all heart-related studies.