Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the U.S.¹

A recent study found that women are still not receiving the same in-hospital treatment for heart attacks as men and may therefore be more likely to die.² Recognizing this reality, WomenHeart - the nation's only national organization solely dedicated to advancing women's heart health through advocacy, community education and patient support - kicks off Heart Month with the launch of the Strong @ Heart campaign, a program designed to encourage women to understand and advocate for early detection and prevention of heart attack and recurrent stroke.

Bayer Aspirin can reduce the risk by up to 30%

Heart disease can affect you in many ways, including developing coronary artery disease, increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure and/or stroke. Aspirin has been proven to prevent cardiovascular events and is approved by the FDA to help prevent recurrent heart attack and stroke. If you are not on an aspirin regimen, ask your doctor about your risk factors and whether an aspirin regimen is right for you.

Bayer Aspirin can reduce the risk:

• of a heart attack by up to 30%
• of a second heart attack by 20-25%

for those at appropriate risk as determined by a doctor.

Aspirin is not appropriate for everyone, so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen.

You should always have aspirin on hand. Just one Genuine Bayer Aspirin can help save your life during a heart attack.

During a suspected heart attack, call 911 and take aspirin as directed by a doctor.

Become a fan of the Strong @ Heart Facebook page by clicking here. You can connect with an online community of women who have a dedicated interest in cardiovascular health and receive periodic news updates, information from experts and links to other useful resources. You can also join the Strong @ Heart community on Facebook by visiting the WomenHeart web site. Remember to get regular check-ups so you and your doctor can monitor your heart health and, as Kathy Berra, MSN, ANP a member of the WomenHeart scientific advisory council and a clinician at Cardiovascular Medicine and Coronary Interventions in Redwood City, California and the Stanford Prevention Research Center says, "commit to being Strong @ Heart by being HeartSAFE...it just might save your life."

It's never too late to to talk to your doctor about creating a plan for a lifestyle that can keep your heart healthier. There are plenty of steps you can take to help reduce your risk of a heart attack:

• Talk to Your Doctor: It's important to have an honest and continuous dialogue with your doctor in order to maximize your heart health efforts.
• Eat Right: A more nutritious diet can help your entire body be healthier.
• Be Physically Active: Even small amounts of exercise can strengthen your heart and lungs and lower your cholesterol. Before starting an exercise regimen, be sure to talk to your doctor.
• Watch Your Cholesterol: High cholesterol levels can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. It's possible to have a high cholesterol count without knowing it because there are no symptoms.
• Lower Your Blood Pressure: People with high blood pressure are at risk for a stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked, so make sure you do it regularly.
• Know Your Risk: One in three women in this country has some form of heart disease, and therefore, it is important that women understand their risk and advocate for their own health. Heart disease risk factors include age, a family history of heart disease, smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, increased LDL cholesterol and diabetes. Once cardiovascular risk has been assessed, women should talk to their doctor about options for lowering their risk if it is increased, including lifestyle changes such as weight loss and increased exercise, and other simple, cost-effective prevention strategies like low-dose aspirin. In fact, "45,000 lives could be saved each year if more at risk adults took low-dose aspirin regularly to prevent heart attacks," says Kathy Berra, MSN, ANP a member of the WomenHeart scientific advisory council and a clinician at Cardiovascular Medicine and Coronary Interventions in Redwood City, California and the Stanford Prevention Research Center. Click here to take Bayer's Risk Assessment Quiz to assess and review your risk factors.

For more heart healthy tips visit the WomenHeart site at:
http://www.womenheart.org/supportForWomen/prevention/index.cfm