Cardiovascular disease is preventable among women

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) among women is preventable. Women with minimal cardiovascular risk factors and low coronary calcium scores have a very low incidence and mortality due to CHD. Women have much less coronary atherosclerosis than men, especially those of younger age groups. The lower coronary atherosclerosis is likely a function of both lower risk factors premenopausal and the effects of estrogen on the arterial wall. Reduction of elevated risk factors, such as atherogenic lipoproteins, systolic blood pressure and smoking cessation, results in substantial reduction in the risk of CHD for both men and women. There is relatively little evidence that these effects are different for men as compared with women. The prevention of increase in risk factors premenopausal (primordial prevention) by public health initiatives, individualized lifestyle intervention and more aggressive pharmacological therapies for most postmenopausal women to prevent the development and progression of atherosclerosis and thrombosis are the cornerstone of CHD prevention for women and will have the greatest impact on women's cardiovascular health, improving quality of life, decreasing healthcare costs for CHD and substantially decreasing health disparities.