Heart disease kills two people just about every minute of every day. With 100 million Americans at risk, it's imperative to understand how this leading cause of death can be prevented.

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How the Human Heart is Supposed to Work
The heart's main job is to pump oxygenated blood filled with nutrients to all parts of your body. Major blood vessels, specifically arteries (which carry oxygenated blood) such as the aorta and pulmonary arteries, connect at the wider, upper part of the heart. If arteries become clogged with cholesterol and other fatty deposits, you're at risk for a heart attack or stroke. 

The right side of the heart collects de-oxygenated blood -- it returns there after circulating through the body -- to send to the lungs to collect oxygen, and refresh the blood with a new supply of oxygen. The left side sends the oxygenated blood with nutrients to other parts of the body.

Heart Disease: Causes and Prevention
Heart Disease is the No. 1 worldwide killer of men and women, and can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices and diet and exercise. Eating foods that are low in saturated and trans fats helps, as does getting 30 minutes of vigorous exercise at least five times per week. 

Two major risk factors are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Other risk factors include diabetes and obesity. Getting older and family history can also put us at higher risk. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are major contributors to atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries that can lead to coronary heart disease. 

Heart Disease vs. Gender
Heart disease is an equal-opportunity killer, but for years, many women didn't think of themselves as being at risk. However, women are less likely than men to be aware of their high cholesterol and other critical health factors. This is partly because many of the early major cardiovascular research studies were focused on men. Both patients and doctors would attribute chest pain in women to non-cardiac causes, such as stress, which can lead to misdiagnosis of a heart condition. 

The good news is that current clinical studies may help clarify gender differences so diagnosis and treatment of women will be more effective. Risk factors include obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Black and Latina women are at greater risk for heart disease.

Indications for Heart Evaluations
For problems such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your primary care physician may manage your care. But if your heart problems are more complicated, or if you're at higher risk because of family history, see a cardiologist. 

If you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, your cardiologist can plan your care in a way that takes into account all of your needs. Angina -- a disease marked by intense chest pain -- may be caused by a buildup of cholesterol that narrows the arteries supplying blood to your heart. If your heart can't get enough blood and oxygen during physical activity, the result can be chest pain or discomfort. 

If you experience a disturbance in the rhythm of your heartbeat, known as an arrhythmia, or unexplained shortness of breath, you should see a cardiologist. Difficulty breathing could be a sign of congestive heart failure or a valve problem.

Heart Disease Leading to a Heart Attack
A heart attack is caused when cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries suddenly break open and cause a blood clot to form, completely blocking blood flow in the coronary artery to the heart. 

A cardiologist will use an electrocardiogram (referred to as an ECG or EKG), which traces the electrical activity in your heart, as well as blood tests, to determine whether you have had a heart attack. About 64 percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no classic symptoms. It's also possible to have a heart attack and not realize it. 

Research shows that more than one in five people older than 65 who have heart attacks have "unrecognized" symptoms. There are two kinds of silent heart attacks. One kind is truly silent -- there are no warning signs. The other has symptoms, but they can be very mild or are ignored since sweating, indigestion, and jaw pain are usually not associated with heart attacks. 

If silent heart attacks go undetected, they can't be treated, thereby increasing the chances of underlying heart disease becoming more advanced and increasing the chances of another, more serious heart attack. Knowledge is power.

Special Thanks
Special thanks to director of Nuclear Cardiology at New York University School of Medicine and national spokesperson for the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" movement Dr. Jennifer Mieres. Special thanks to Bodies...The Exhibition for lending the heart used during this segment. Read Dr. Mieres' "Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas: A Five Week Program for Living a Heart- Healthy Lifestyle" for more information about cardiology.