Heart healthWomen's healthPreventive care

6 numbers women should know for heart health

Heart disease is a leading killer of women. Tracking these numbers could potentially save your life.


LearnHeartHeart health6 numbers women should know for heart health
Blood pressure range
Total blood cholesterol levels
High-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels
Blood sugar levels
Body mass index
Boost your heart health

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In years past, it was commonly assumed that heart disease affected men more than women. But that's not the case. In fact, heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States, responsible for one in every five deaths.

The most common form is coronary artery disease (CAD). When you have CAD, the arteries that supply blood to your heart become hardened or blocked. CAD affects between 6 and 7 percent of women in the U.S.

Ignoring the risk of heart disease can be dangerous. But learning and keeping track of certain key heart health numbers can help you protect yourself. Here are the six most important to know.

Sources: American Heart Association Go Red for Wo... + 28
  1. American Heart Association Go Red for Women. Common Myths About Heart Disease. Accessed October 22, 2020.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease. January 31, 2020.
  3. MedlinePlus. Coronary Artery Disease. Accessed November 3, 2020.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Page last reviewed July 19, 2021.
  5. American Heart Association. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Accessed November 3, 2020.
  6. PK Whelton, RM Carey, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guideline. Hypertension. 2018;71:e13–e115.
  7. Health.gov. Get Your Blood Pressure Checked. Content last updated July 15, 2022.
  8. Mayo Clinic. Blood pressure test. May 27, 2022.
  9. NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. High Blood Pressure: Causes and Risk Factors. Last updated on March 24, 2022.
  10. Hamrahian SM, Falkner B. Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;956:307-325.
  11. M Shen, H Tan, et al. Trajectory of blood pressure change during pregnancy and the role of pre-gravid blood pressure: a functional data analysis approach. Scientific Reports. July 24, 2017. 7(1), 6227.
  12. American Heart Association. Health Threats From High Blood Pressure. October 31, 2016.
  13. American Heart Association. What is Cholesterol?
  14. American Heart Association. How To Get Your Cholesterol Tested. March 22, 2019.
  15. Mayo Clinic. HDL cholesterol: How to boost your 'good' cholesterol. October 24, 2018.
  16. American Heart Association. HDL (Good), LDL (Bad) Cholesterol and Triglycerides. April 30, 2017.
  17. MedlinePlus. Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know. Last updated October 2, 2020.
  18. MedlinePlus. LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol. Last updated October 2, 2020.
  19. SM Grundy, NJ Stone, et al. AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. November 10, 2018. 139:e1082–e1143.
  20. Harvard Health Publishing. Making sense of cholesterol tests. May 14, 2022.
  21. National Lipid Association. 2018 Guideline on the Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol. 2018.
  22. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Clin Diabetes 2020;38(1):10–38.
  23. Cai X, Zhang Y, et al. Association between prediabetes and risk of all cause mortality and cardiovascular disease: updated meta-analysis. BMJ. 2020;370:m2297.
  24. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes Tests. May 15, 2019.
  25. Mayo Clinic. Diabetes. October 25, 2022.
  26. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2019.
  27. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Medical Complications of Obesity. August 3, 2010.
  28. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: About Adult BMI. September 17, 2020.
  29. UCSF Health. Obesity Treatments. Accessed October 22, 2020.
Written by Taylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.November, 2024
Updated onSeptember, 2026
Written by Taylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.November, 2024
Updated onSeptember, 2026
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