How important is your heart? You can have a heart of gold, a heavy heart or even a change of heart. But a healthy heart is the most important! Nationally, one in three women die of heart disease and stroke. And did you know that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the overall number one killer in Baltimore, is responsible for 30 percent of the deaths of women in the city and for 15 percent of all premature deaths? In total, for men and women, heart disease claims approximately 2,000 lives in Baltimore each year.