Statistics say only 13 percent of women consider heart disease to be their greatest personal health risk. That number is far from accurate and doctors are working overtime to tell women heart disease is their number one killer.

"Heart disease has always been a problem in women," says Jane Chen, MD, electrophysiologist at the Washington University Heart Care Institute at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "It is the number one killer of women, more than breast cancer or lung cancer combined and it''s just in recent years that more awareness has come about."

Dr. Chen says it''s important not only for older women to recognize their risk of heart disease, but younger women as well.

"One of the misconceptions is that premenopausal women are protected from heart disease, but it affects women who are premenopausal as well," says Dr. Chen. "In fact, one of every 9,000 heart attacks occur in women less that 45 years old."

While the most common symptom of heart problems in women is the same as in men - chest pain - there are other symptoms that present mainly in women.

"Women can have not so classic symptoms, such as jaw pain or things that feel like indigestion," says Dr. Chen. "They might just be more tired and fatigued without any specific discomfort anywhere, so a lot of uncommon symptoms can happen to women."

Overall, Dr. Chen advises younger women that the best way to lower their risk for heart disease is to exercise, get regular checkups with physicians, keep an eye on blood pressure and cholesterol, and if you are smoking, stop.

Take our free heart disease risk assessment, or to request free heart disease awareness kit, please call 314-TOP-DOCS or 866-867-3627