Women who have a high resting heart rate may be more at risk of suffering from a heart attack, according to new research.

Findings published online in the British Medical Journal reveal middle-aged female subjects with a resting heart rate of 76 beats per minute or more had a 26 percent greater chance of suffering a heart attack than those with a rate of 62 beats per minute or lower.

Lead author Dr. Judith Hsia told HealthDay News that heart rate is not as strong an indicator as high LDL cholesterol level, but is part of the overall picture of coronary health.

Previous research had found that men with higher resting heart rates were at greater risk of a heart attack, but until now studies on women had not produced statistically significant results.

Commenting on the results, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum of Lenox Hill Hospital told the news provider that exercise is “essential” for lowering heart rate and improving health.

“When you exercise, you increase the tone of the autonomic nervous system, which causes a decrease in heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure,” she said.

Oral chelation is another method that some people have turned to in order to help control blood pressure and maintain their cardiovascular health.