"The female sex hormone estrogen tends to
raise HDL cholesterol, and as a rule, women have higher HDL (good) cholesterol
levels than men do. Estrogen production is highest during the childbearing
years. This may help explain why premenopausal women are usually protected from
developing heart disease.
Women also tend to have higher triglyceride
levels. Triglyceride levels range from about 50 to 250 mg/dL, depending on age
and sex. As people get older, more overweight or both, their triglyceride and
cholesterol levels tend to rise.
Postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT) may
benefit some women with osteoporosis or other medical conditions associated
with menopause. However, the American Heart Association recommends that
PHT not be used for cardiovascular prevention. The HERS trial of women who had
previously had a heart attack showed that these women did not benefit from PHT.
Recent clinical trials appear to confirm that PHT does not appear to reduce
risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke in postmenopausal women. Women with a
personal or family history of breast cancer or other endocrine-related cancers
should not receive PHT either.
The American Heart Association
recommends LDL (bad) cholesterol-lowering drug therapy for most women with
heart disease. Drug therapy should be combined with a diet low in saturated
fat, trans
fat, cholesterol and sodium, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain
and high-fiber foods, and fat-free and low-fat dairy. Fish (such as salmon,
trout or haddock) should be eaten twice a week. In addition, women should
manage their weight, get regular physical activity and not smoke. " Extracted from American Heart Ass.
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