New figures released by the Heart Foundation show that only one in 20 women aged 45-65 believed high blood pressure and cholesterol were important risk factors for heart disease, while in truth they were the two most important things.

The majority of women mistakenly thought that poor diet and lack of exercise put their hearts at greater risk than high blood pressure and cholesterol.

June marks the start of the annual Go Red for Women campaign and the Heart Foundation aims to raise awareness about the risk factors and spread the message heart disease kills 25 Australian women each day.

Palmerston mother of two Shun Young narrowly avoided a heart attack by monitoring her blood pressure and asking her doctor for extra tests on her heart function.

The result showed a blockage close to one of her main arteries, which was treated with a stent which was put in late last year.

"I found out I had high blood pressure two years ago,'' she said.

"I had been feeling tired for a long time but put it down to being a working mum, working full time and having two kids. I took medication for it.''

Mrs Young had an exercise test which showed greater problems and she was told she would need to go to hospital.

"When the specialist said I needed to have an angiogram I did not really pay attention to what he was saying because I did not think it was going to happen to me,'' she said.

"I thought I was OK – just tired and overworked. I thought I was just getting this done and off the check list. My cholesterol was quite all right and I had no symptoms apart from the blood pressure.

"I feel very lucky because I could have ended up with a heart attack and had a lot of damage done to my body, doing it this way has been much more straight forward.''

Mrs Young said she had since cut back on her work hours and made the time available to be active.

Heart Foundation spokeswoman Julie Anne Mitchell said one in three adult women had high cholesterol but 90 per cent of them did not know it.

"There are often no signs of symptoms associated with high blood pressure and high cholesterol which is why women can overlook it,'' she said.

"It is vital that women know their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.''