Ask the doctor: How should I be screened for cardiovascular disease?
Metabolic syndrome is another risk factor. A woman is diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if she has three or more of the following: a waistline (measured at the navel) of 35 inches or more, higher-than-normal triglycerides, lower-than-normal HDL (good) cholesterol, higher-than-normal blood pressure, and higher-than-normal fasting blood sugar. There's some evidence that, for women, metabolic syndrome is the most important risk factor for having an early heart attack.
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