WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- On online calculator can help you assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years.
You can find the calculator, developed by the National Cholesterol Education Program, here.
This kind of information can be important, says an article in the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. About 85 percent of women with coronary heart disease have at least one main risk factor -- hypertension, smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
The more risk factors, the greater the chance of a heart attack or stroke. For example, a 65-year-old woman with one risk factor has a 2 percent chance of heart attack over 10 years. With four risk factors, the chance of heart attack jumps to 17 percent.
Many risk factors are preventable or treatable, so learning more about them -- and how to eliminate them -- may lower your risk of heart attack or stroke.
More information
The American College of Cardiology has advice on how to prevent heart disease.
