10:59am UK, Tuesday February 11, 2003

Most women are dangerously unaware that heart disease is the greatest threat to their lives, according to a new report.

In 2001, heart disease claimed the lives of more than 54,000 women in the UK - more than four times that of breast cancer.

180 nurse checks heart machine

Nurse checks heart monitor

The British Heart Foundation found only a quarter of women recognise that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

Fear

Some 40% of those surveyed said cancer was their biggest fear.

Of more than 1,000 16-24 year olds surveyed,only one in ten feared heart disease.

The BHF report, Take Note of your Heart, said that when most people think of a typical heart attack victim they imagine an overweight male smoker who does little exercise and drinks too much.

But the BHF stresses that heart disease is as much a problem for women as it is for men.

Immediate action

It is calling for immediate action to raise women's awareness of the condition.

Professor Sir Charles George, medical director at the BHF, said: "High profile campaigns have already successfully raised awareness of disease areas such as breast cancer - whereas in fact women are more at risk from CHD.

"Women of all ages need to be more aware of their hearts and turn increased knowledge into action to reduce their risks.

Women wanting to find out more about CHD can visit the BHF's new Women and Health website at www.bhf.org.uk/women.