Cardiovascular Disease inWomen

from cerebrovascular diseases from 1960 to 1989amongwhitewomen.Inblackwomentherewasa22%and68%decline, respectively. Despite these substan-tial declines in mortality, coronary heart disease andstroke still rankfirst and third as the causes ofdeathfor middle-aged and older women, with substantiallyhigherrates inblackwomen.Witheachdecadeoflife,the rate of death from coronary heart disease in-creases threefold to fivefold. Bythe ages of 75 to 84,the death rate in whitewomenis morethan 1290per100000populationandinblackwomenit is morethan1300 per 100000 population.2Cardiovascular diseases are also a leading cause ofdisability in women.3 Estimates of the percentage ofwomenwith ischemic heart disease whowere disabledbytheirillnessin 1980rangedfrom36%inwomenaged55 to 64 to 55%in womenaged 75 andolder. Womenwho survive a stroke fare even worse: 62% of femalestroke survivors aged 55 to 64 had some form ofdisability and 61% of those aged 75 and older weredisabled.4Anotherindicationoftheimpactof