Summary:

• **Men Get Heart Disease Earlier Than Women**: Scientists studied thousands of people and found that men develop heart disease about 7 years earlier than women do. This means that men need to be extra careful about their heart health starting at a younger age than women.

• **Why the Difference Exists**: Women's bodies have special protection from a hormone called estrogen that helps keep their hearts healthy until they get older. Men don't have this same protection, which is one reason why their hearts can get sick sooner.