Melissa Claire Egan revealed that she was diagnosed with heart disease.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, The Young and the Restless star, 44, posted a photo on Instagram to share her health update and emphasize how grateful she is that her condition was caught early.

“I wanted to share that in late January I was diagnosed with Coronary heart disease. Thanks to early detection, and medicine, I will be okay!” she began. “I’m a private person, but this seemed TOO IMPORTANT NOT TO SHARE. Especially for women.”

Coronary heart disease, or coronary artery disease (CAD), is a narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Over time, plaque buildup reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. A complete blockage of blood flow can cause a heart attack.

Egan said her longtime doctor, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, sent her to a cardiologist, Dr. Mo Ghalichi, after her bloodwork came back high. After undergoing a heart calcium scan, plaque was discovered in her LAD artery, often called the “widowmaker.”

“It’s mild so far and tends to be genetic, but rare for a 44 year old woman,” she explained. “This could have caused the plaque to chip off and cause a fatal heart attack or stroke any time over the next 5-10 years, maybe even sooner.”

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“Later that night after I was diagnosed, I laid with my sons, putting them to bed, feeling so grateful to God and my doctors that I found this early,” she said. “But I couldn’t stop thinking about all the other women (and men) that might have this disease and not know it. It is under-tested and under-recognized.”

Egan said that there is a lot of stress on the importance of annual mammograms, but not many are getting their hearts checked every year. The soap opera actress then pointed out that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.

“Tell your doctor you want to be evaluated for coronary heart disease risk. A takeaway from my situation, for your blood tests ask your doctor to specifically look for Lipoprotein(a) and ApoB levels. Also you MUST ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT A ‘Heart Calcium scan,’” she urged, referring her followers to the  American Heart Association for more information. “I’m grateful to work with them sharing my story. Let’s all band together, focus on our heart health, and live longer!!!”