Menopause Increases Risk of Heart Diseases and Stroke in Women.

Women before the age of menopause seem to be partly protected from coronary hearth diseases, hearth attack and stroke compared to men. Unfortunately, as women age, their risk of hearth diseases and stroke rises as a result of some natural aging processes.

According to a research study, after age 50 nearly half of all deaths in women are due to some form of cardiovascular disease.

Experts say once a woman reaches the age of 50, about the age of natural menopause, her risk for hearth diseases increases dramatically. In young women who have undergone early or surgical menopause, who do not take oestrogen their risk for hearth disease is also higher. One out of four women older than 65 has some form of hearth disease. Increased risk for coronary disease is primarily associated with the process of aging, yet there is also a link between hearth health and a woman's mid life.

Studies have shown that after menopause, women experiences an increased risk of hearth diseases due to decreasing levels of the female hormone oestrogen during menopause. Women who have gone through menopause and also have other hearth disease risk factors, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high LDL (low density lipoproteins) or good cholesterol, obesity, inactive lifestyle and family history of hearth disease tend to be more at risk. Oestrogen is associated with higher levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL or good cholesterol) and lower levels of low density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol). A research conducted by in the hearth and Estrogen/progestin Replacement study (HERS), doctors discovered that postmenopausesal women with hearth disease who were given oestrogen and progestin actually had more attacks and hearth disease deaths during first year of the study than women not on HRT. After four years of study, however there were no differences between the groups in hearth attacks or hearth disease death.

A woman has a reduced rate of hearth disease before menopause compared with a man of her own age. But during and after menopause, oestrogen levels continue to fall gradually until they stabilize at a new lower level.

To check the risk, experts suggest that a healthy lifestyle goes a long way in preventing hearth disease. Maintaining an exercise programme wards off hearth disease before, during and after menopause. Also maintaining a common sense diet low in processed foods and fast foods low in calories and high in vegetables.

Learn more about this author, Idehen Peter.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about What is heart failure??
We want to hear your view. Write now!