You may wish to print out this checklist to evaluate your risk of heart disease and then share the results with your physician.
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Yes
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No
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Don’t Know
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Do you smoke or use tobacco products?
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Is your blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or higher, OR you have been told by your doctor that your blood pressure is too high?
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Has your doctor told you that your total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL or higher or your HDL (good cholesterol) is less than 40mg/dL?
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Has your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55 OR your mother or sister had one before age 65?
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Do you have diabetes OR a fasting blood sugar of 126mg/dL or higher, OR do you need medicine to control your blood sugar?
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Are you a man over 45 years of age?
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Are you a woman over 55 years old?
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Do you have a body mass index (BMI) score of 25 or more?
Click here to use a BMI calculator.
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Do you get less than a total of 30 minutes of physical activity on most days?
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Has a doctor told you that you have angina (chest pains), or have you had a heart attack?
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If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may be at an increased risk of having a heart attack. You can discuss your risk with a health care provider. If you don’t know your blood pressure or cholesterol, check with your health care provider. These are important numbers to know for your heart health.
Ultimately, the best medicine is prevention and early detection. At Rush, patients have access to the expertise of the Heart Center for Women along with the world’s premier hypertension clinic and a state-of-the art Preventive Cardiology Center.
For comprehensive information about how heart disease affects women, explore our medical library:
Cardiology
Heart and Vascular Programs
Heart and Vascular Programs Home