Getting a heart-shaped box of chocolates shouldn’t be the only heart concerns for Savvy Aunties this Valentine’s Day. February kicks off “The Heart Truth,” a campaign to raise awareness about women’s number one killer--heart disease!

According the American Heart Association, heart disease and other cardiovascular disease kills more women than men every year and almost 10 times more women than breast cancer. In fact, it kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.

One of the problems is there are gender differences when it comes to the symptoms. Many women don’t even realize they are having symptoms of a heart attack. Unlike men who have easily identifiable crushing chest pain and shortness of breath, many women have vague complaints that could easily be attributed to other problems. Women have atypical symptoms such as fatigue, indigestion, sweating, jaw and shoulder pain, or even just sleep disturbance.  Who of us has not had any of these in descript complaints and shrugged them off!

In the past doctors believed that estrogen was protective enough to prevent heart disease in younger women. Historically, it’s that idea of the estrogen benefit that might have initially created the bias we see today in medicine with respect to women and heart disease. But one or more risk factor can totally negate any beneficial protection estrogen gives to younger women with respect to heart disease.

The key is to know your risk factors. There are ones that you can’t do anything about such as genetics and your family history. But there are completely preventable risk factors such as quitting smoking, modifying your diet to lower your intake of saturated fats and increasing your exercise. These lifestyle changes will put you in control and decrease your chances of developing the other risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity

Remember prevention is the best intervention. Don’t’ wait until it is too late. And don’t you or your doctor be lulled in to false sense of security, because you might be younger woman and you don’t have classic symptoms. Do everything in your power to reduce your risk. Be savvy when it comes to your heart this Valentine's Day and live long and strong for your nieces and nephews!

By Leigh Vinocur  MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine