Go Red For Women

GO RED FOR WOMEN®
2015 FACT SHEET

NARRATIVE

Women are strong. We are smart. We solve problems. Women can do anything men can do. And, there are some things we’re even better at – dying of heart disease and stroke. Like breaking barriers? Go Red! And help break the one against heart disease.

It’s not just a man’s disease. Each year, 1 in 3 women die of heart disease and stroke. But we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes.

When it comes to beating heart disease and stroke, change can be the cure. Make a change at GoRedForWomen.org.

Go Red For Women is about much more than wearing red on National Wear Red Day. It’s about making a change.

Here are a few ways you can make a change today:

• Go to GoRedForWomen.org to learn what you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. 
• Encourage your family and friends to take small steps toward healthy lifestyle choices to reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke, too. 
• Explain “What it means to Go Red” by sharing the following acronym: 

       Get Your Numbers: Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.
       Own Your Lifestyle: Stop smoking, lose weight, be physically active and eat healthy.
       Raise Your Voice: Advocate for more women-related research and education.
       Educate Your Family: Make healthy food choices for you & your family. Teach your kids the              importance of staying active.
       Donate: Show your support with a donation of time or money.

FACTS ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

FACT 1: Cardiovascular diseases cause one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.

• An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular diseases. 
• 90% of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke. 
• 80% of heart disease and stroke events could be prevented.

FACT 2: Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease & stroke.

• Fewer women than men survive their first heart attack 
• The symptoms of heart attack can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood – even by some physicians. 
• Women have a higher lifetime risk of stroke than men. 
• Each year, about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke. 

FACT 3: Heart disease and stroke affect women of all ethnicities.

• Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for African-American women, killing nearly 50,000 annually. 
• Only 43% of African American women and 44% of Hispanic women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk, compared with 60% of Caucasian women. 
• Of African-American women ages 20 and older, 48.9% have cardiovascular disease. Yet, only 20% believe they are at risk. 
• Only 50% of African-American women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. 
• Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than Caucasian women. 
• Only 3 in 10 Hispanic women say they have been informed that they are at a higher risk. 
• Only 1 in 4 Hispanic women is aware of treatment options. 

FACT 4: Women who are involved with the Go Red For Women movement live healthier lives.

• Nearly 90% have made at least one healthy behavior change. 
• More than one-third has lost weight. 
• More than 50% have increased their exercise. 
• 6 out of 10 have changed their diets. 
• More than 40% have checked their cholesterol levels. 
• One third has talked with their doctors about developing heart health plans. 

FACT 5: When you get involved in supporting Go Red For Women by advocating, fundraising and sharing your story, more lives are saved.

• Today, nearly 300 fewer women die from heart disease and stroke each day 
• Death in women has decreased by more than 30 percent over the past 10 years. 

ABOUT GO RED FOR WOMEN 
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women because it’s not just a man’s disease. In fact, more women than men die every year from heart disease and stroke. The good news is that 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes. Go Red For Women advocates for more research and swifter action for women's heart health. The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement is nationally sponsored by Macy's, with additional support from our cause supporters. For more information, please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).

©(2015), American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.