Although many people think of heart disease as a man's problem, it's actually the number one killer in women over the age of 65. But a new clinic is trying to change that.

Once a week, Barbara McMartin goes to a gym in Vancouver.

But her workouts are unique. They're part of a new program at the Leslie Diamond Women's Heart Health Clinic, which was exclusively created for women.

"It's nice you don't have to worry we're all women we know we come in all different shapes and sizes and it's relaxing," McMartin said.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women over age 65.

The clinic is the first of its kind in B.C. and focuses on rehabilitation for women with heart disease and preventative care for those who are at risk.

"We need to recognize that heart disease is a threat to women's lives. They need to understand what their risks are," said Cardiologist Dr. Parvathy Nair.

The program provides education, supervised exercise, nutrition counselling and psychosocial support.

"Ninety per cent of heart disease is modifiable in modifiable in women,'' said Dr. Nair. "If you have in your hands a 90 per cent chance of improving that risk, why not do it."

The program also teaches the participants what to look out for.

While the traditional symptoms of heart disease include chest discomfort, women may also suffer very different symptoms .

"Symptoms of nausea, fatigue, neck pain, jaw pain but no chest discomfort and because they don't present in a the classic way, the way we've all been taught to recognize, heart disease is often missed," said Dr. Nair.

Barbara says she is a great example of how the program can help.

She had heart surgery earlier this year and says she now knows how to exercise safely. Her health has improved.

"I feel a lot stronger. I do things a lot easier. I do a lot of exercising at home, a lot of walking with my husband and I just feel really good," she said.

Questions and answers.

Q. What is the single most important thing that women can do to prevent heart disease?

I always tell my patients -- you need to know what your individual risk is.

Then you can do something about modifying that risk. So, for example, if you have high blood pressure you need to get it down.

If you are sedentary, it's a good idea to think of some ways to get you more active. If you smoke, then work toward quitting.

Q. Do women have particular risk factors that men don't have?

A. Women who have high blood pressure before menopause are at higher risk for heart disease.

It's still better to be fit than fat or lean. Compared to healthy weight women who exercised, studies have shown that overweight and sedentary women were 3.5 times more likely to have heart disease The good news is that it's never too late to reduce your risk.

Q. How can women access this new clinic?

A. You need to go through your family doctor who can gauge your individual condition and make a referral.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low