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James L. Holly, M.D. |
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James L. Holly,M.D. |
March 01, 2005 |
Cardiology Review March 2005, Vol 22 No 3 |
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Yes, we can prevent coronary heart disease in women --- Commentary
- Diabetes might have a greater impact on risk in women, such that women with diabetes have similar rates of cardiac events.
- Men and women have similar risk factors:
- Dyslipidemia
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Cigarette smoking
- Treatment of hypertension markedly reduce cardiac events.
- Differences in lipoprotein profiles have been suggested as the reason for the lower coronary risk in young women.
- HDL levels are higher in women and this increase continues through menopause.
- The reasons for the higher HDL:
- Estrogen reduces the expression of hepatic lipase, an enzyme involved in HDL catabolism.
- Estrogen therapy also induces greater hepatic production of apoA1, the major apoprotein in HDL.
- LDL rises in men as they age beginning as early as the fourth decade:
- possibly due to weight gain beginning in he late 20s.
- possibly due to sedentary life style.
- Women who also experience weight gain during this period do not have LDL increases until after menopause.
- All women with coronary heart disease or diabetes need cholesterol reduction unless hey have already have very low LDL.
- The Framingham Risk score helps determine women who need treatment.
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