de Baca TC, et al. - Researchers examined the Women's Health Study follow-up cohort (N = 22,048; mean age = 72± 6.0 years) for the relationship between financial strain and cardiovascular health. They created a financial strain index by combining six self-reported measures of financial strain and performed categorization into 4 groups: No financial strain, 1 stressor, 2 stressors, and 3+ stressors. Based on the American Heart Association strategic 2020 goals metric, they assessed ideal cardiovascular health, including tobacco use, body mass index, physical activity, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol and diabetes mellitus. The number of financial stressors was identified to have an association with lower ideal cardiovascular health; this association remained following adjustment for potential confounders. Findings thereby suggest that middle aged and older female health professional women display lower ideal cardiovascular health in correlation to financial strain.