CVD Risk Factors:

Age and Gender

By Iris

Gender
Risk of death as a result of CVD is higher in
men than in women
A man under 60 has a 1/50
chance of suffering a heart
attack, while and equally
healthy woman has a 1/100
chance.

National Heart, Lung and Blood

Institute

Age
The older you are the higher your risk of
death as a result of CVD
In 2004, 341 twenty five to
thirty four year olds died,
while 19,783
64-74 year olds did

Annual number of Americans having diagnosed

heart attack by age and sex (ARIC: 19872000).
Source: Extrapolated from rates in the NHLBIs
ARIC surveillance study, 19872000.

Although in general, fewer women die

as a reuslt of CVDs when yougner, by
the time they reach 75-84 they have a
very similar mortality rates to men. In
85+ women more of them are dying as
a result of CVD. (Info Table 1.2 Page 25)

Why?

Age
As you become older your arteries
become less elastic and weaker as a
result of work over time meaning
they are more susceptible to
damage.

Gender
Scientists suggest oestrogen protects women
for death as a result of CVD, but this is more
speculative than hard proof. Women are
generally healthier and have better lifestyles
meaning they have better hearts.

Australian
Institute for
Health and
Welfare

Activity

Questions?