July 1, 2015
Menopausal Women at Lower Heart Risk Than Men of Similar Age
Menopause is commonly considered a risk factor for heart disease, as the protective effect of estrogen declines. However, in a new study, researchers found that postmenopausal women had a lower risk of dying from heart attack than did men of similar ages.
"Women have lower cardiovascular disease risk than men, even after menopause," said the study's lead researcher and IHPI member, Dr. Catherine Kim, M.D., M.P.H. The study, published July 1 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, is believed to be the first to compare men and women and how menopause type affects heart disease risk, according to Kim.
Her team looked at more than 23,000 men and women, all older than 45, who were enrolled in a study between 2003 and 2007 and had no heart disease at the study start. The researchers followed them until the end of 2011.
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