Risk factors are important to recognize, since most women can control or treat the problems that frequently lead to heart disease. Look out for and take care of yourself if you have any of these health problems:

• High cholesterol This can cause arteries to become clogged with plaque. The buildup may cause clots in the arteries that block blood flow. If blood is blocked from the heart, it causes a heart attack, and if blood is blocked from the brain, it causes a stroke.
• High blood pressure Also called hypertension, high blood pressure causes the heart to go into overdrive. This makes it more prone to injury. The risk of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, and atherosclerosis increases greatly in the presence of hypertension.
• Diabetes Women with diabetes have from two to four times the risk of heart disease as do healthy women. Diabetes may be accompanied by high cholesterol and blood pressure, so it should be taken seriously.