Heart Disease in Women

Some people believe that heart disease in women occurs less frequently than heart disease in men. So, is it true that women are less at risk of a heart disease than men are?

Research has shown that the rate of heart disease in women before menopause is about half the rate of heart disease in men. However, as women reach menopause age, the rate of heart disease in women rises rapidly. Post- menopausal women have as high a chance of having heart disease as men do, or even higher chance than men.

Unlike heart disease in men, however, heart disease in women are often undetected until too late.

Is estrogen good for postmenopausal women?

Some women believe that estrogen is good for postmenopausal women in terms of helping avoid heart disease in women. The truth is that estrogen can have both positive and negative effects on women.

Prolonged use of estrogen may cause breast cancer. Estrogen can also increase blood triglyceride levels in some women making them more prone to heart attack. Heart attack in women who are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is more common. So, consult your doctor on the best course of action to prevent heart attack and heart disease in women.