Preventing Heart Disease in Women: Essential Guidelines Heart disease remains a leading cause of mortality among women, often referred to as a silent killer due to its subtle and misleading symptoms. According to Dr. Harvey S. Hecht, MD, FACC, Director of Preventive Cardiology and Electron Beam Tomography at the Heart and Vascular Institute in Morristown, NJ, and a former president of the Society for Atherosclerosis Imaging, understanding the unique risk factors and symptoms of heart disease in women can lead to better prevention and treatment strategies.