Every Minnesota woman needs to know about heart disease.

Did you know heart disease is the #1 killer of Minnesota women? Although Minnesota women have the lowest rate of heart disease death in the country, more than 3,700 Minnesota women die of heart disease and approximately 1,300 die from stroke every year. In comparison, approximately 4,400 women die from cancer (of all types) each year.

To educate Minnesota women about the dangers of heart disease, I have partnered with the national campaigns, The Heart Truth and Go Red for Women, to create the First Lady's Heart Health Initiative.

The First Lady's Heart Health Initiative is an awareness campaign that will help Minnesota women recognize their own risk for heart disease. Through this website you will find valuable information about heart disease including warning signs, risk factors and action steps to prevent heart disease. You will also find links to the national campaigns, The Heart Truth and Go Red for Women.

There is a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. Take the time to learn if you are at risk and help us share information with other Minnesota women about the dangers of heart disease.

In 2008, 2.9% of adult women in Minnesota reported that they had angina or coronary heart disease. This amounts to over 58,000 women in Minnesota. More than 8% of Minnesota women 65 years and older (approximately 30,000 women) have experienced a heart attack. Significant disparities exist in heart disease death. Between 2003 and 2007 American Indian women in Minnesota experienced a 52% higher heart disease related death rate than Caucasian women.