| When women go through the change of life, it | | | | disease during menopause and post-menopausal. |
| could bring on heart disease as well. The | | | | After a study of women and heart disease it |
| clotting agent fibrinogen (a soluble protein | | | | was confirmed that this therapy was not the |
| in the blood made by the liver and made | | | | right treatment for heart disease prevention. |
| insoluble because of damage tissue), | | | | |
| increases when a woman is post-menopause; the | | | | A new study revealed that women taking |
| body experiences less estrogen production and | | | | hormone replacement therapy medication |
| the cholesterol levels changes, thus the | | | | containing female hormones, commonly estrogen |
| change of life. Estrogen is a protective | | | | plus progestin (synthetic progesterone), |
| factor against heart disease for women, until | | | | health risks exceeded the health benefits and |
| menopause, at which time it declines, thereby | | | | the study was stopped early. There were |
| removing the protection. The Cleveland Clinic | | | | 161,809 women, ages ranging from 50-79. |
| Heart Center explains the connection between | | | | Breast cancer increased 26%, heart attacks |
| women and heart disease and menopausal | | | | increased 29%, strokes increased 41%, and |
| changes. | | | | blood clots increased more than 50%. |
| | | | |
| The amount of risk caused by each change is | | | | However, the study did show 34% fewer hip |
| unknown, but in most cases there is a greater | | | | fractures and there were other benefits. The |
| risk with each change. Heart disease is two | | | | risk factor s outweigh the benefits. For a |
| to three times greater after menopause than | | | | short-term treatment, some women may consider |
| before. These same risks are in women who | | | | HRT, but it should be based on individual |
| have had a hysterectomy as well. More women | | | | health history. To read the full report: |
| over the age of sixty die of heart attacks | | | | Medline Plus-Encyclopedia |
| than men; women's symptoms are different than | | | | |
| men and are often mistaken for something less | | | | There are other things that will help women |
| serious. | | | | to adjust to menopause and have a healthy |
| | | | heart. They are to stop smoking, maintain |
| Wake Forest University-Baptist Medical Center | | | | the proper weight, exercise regularly, cut |
| suggests reduced levels of estrogen caused by | | | | down on the fatty foods, keep an eye on your |
| stress increase risk of heart attacks and | | | | cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. |
| strokes. Stress can cause damage to arteries, | | | | According to The Nurses Health Study, folic |
| thus creating problems. Heart disease | | | | acid, B-6 and B-12 played a role in reducing |
| includes the narrowing of the arteries that | | | | the risk of heart attack or death among women |
| bring oxygen to the heart, inborn defects, | | | | of heart disease when one group consumed more |
| diseases of the heart muscles and heart | | | | food and supplements than the other group. |
| failure. Two hundred and fifty thousand | | | | |
| American women die each year from this | | | | If hormone replacement therapy is chosen, |
| disease and, as women age the risk increases. | | | | remember to eat healthy and exercise which |
| It is the leading killer in America. | | | | will maintain healthy heart muscles. Be sure |
| | | | to have regular check-ups and call your |
| Doctors in the past, treated women with | | | | health care provider if anything unusual |
| hormone replacement therapy to prevent heart | | | | occurs. |