Many people think heart disease mostly affects men, but the truth is very different. Statistics show that four out of ten UK women die from heart and circulatory disease - it's the most common cause of death for women in the UK, but it tends to affect women at an older age than men, and rarely before the menopause.

To gain a better understanding of how heart disease develops in women, Professor Deborah Lawlor is leading a team from Bristol, London and Glasgow to assess the health of 7,000 women with an average age of 44. With almost £900,000 from the BHF, the four-year project will include testing for thickening of the arteries, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

By relating changes in these measurements to the volunteers' lifestyle and their genetic make up, the team will begin to discover which are the most important indicators and risk factors for heart disease in women. These findings will provide vital evidence to develop desperately needed effective prevention and treatment guidelines specifically for women.

To find out more about our pioneering heart research go to bhf.org.uk/research