Table 2.

Selected statements from American Heart Association guidelines for the prevention of coronary heart disease in women

Lifestyle changes	Statement
Smoking cessation	Do not smoke and avoid environmental tobacco smoke
Physical activity	Minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week
Dietary intake	A diet rich in fruits and vegetables; choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods; consume fish, especially oily fish, at least twice a week; limit intake of saturated fat to 10% of energy and, if possible, to 7%, cholesterol to 300 mg/d
Alcohol intake	No more than one drink per day
Weight maintenance/reduction	Women should maintain or lose weight through an appropriate balance of physical activity, caloric intake, and formal behavioral programs when indicated to maintain/achieve a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 and a waist circumference of 35 inches
Omega-3 fatty acids	As an adjunct to diet, omega-3 fatty acids in capsule form (approximately 850–1000 mg of EPA and DHA) may be considered in women with CHD, and higher doses (2–4 g) may be used for treatment of women with high triglyceride levels
Treatment goals
Major risk factor interventions Lipid and lipoprotein levels: optimal levels and lifestyle	The following levels of lipids and lipoproteins in women should be encouraged through lifestyle approaches: LDL-C < 100 mg/dL HDL-C > 50 mg/dL Triglycerides < 150 mg/dL Non-HDL-C < 1360 mg/dL

Notes: Copyright © 2007. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Reprinted with permission from Mosca L, Banka CL, Benjamin EJ, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention in women: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;115(11):1481–1501.⁴²

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CHD, coronary heart disease; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.