Go Red: Heart disease is No. 1 killer in women, but it can be prevented

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - Do you know what kills more mothers, sisters, and daughters in the United States than anything else? It’s cardiovascular disease.

An alarming amount of people don’t know that, especially women. But the goal of the “Go Red for Women” campaign, which is now underway, is to change that.

As a woman, heart disease is more likely to kill you than anything else. It accounts for 400,000 deaths annually, killing more women than all cancers combined.

A new study finds only one in three women actually know that the No. 1 killer for women is heart disease.

Cleveland Clinic Heart Specialist Dr. Leslie Cho says there’s another thing women also tend to fall behind on.

“Women, during their 30s and 40s, rarely go see a primary care doctor," says Dr. Cho. "They only see their OB/GYN, and so a lot of women don’t get blood pressure checks because they think that’s just not their problem.”

Because of that, Dr. Cho adds, “Some women, by the time they do come see us, well into their menopause, we’ve really missed out on prevention opportunities.”

Dr. Cho says the good news: Heart disease is preventable.

“Controlling your blood pressure, controlling your cholesterol, not becoming diabetic, not smoking, these are significant things we can do to lower our risk," says Dr. Cho.

She says maintaining a healthy diet and exercising is key as well.