Preventing clinically evident coronary heart disease in the postmenopausal woman

Francine K Welty1

  • 1Cardiovascular Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. fwelty@caregroup.harvard.edu

Menopause (New York, N.Y.)
|July 10, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Postmenopausal women face significant coronary heart disease risks. Statins are recommended as first-line therapy for lipid management, while estrogen therapy is not advised for cardiovascular prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Women's Health

Background:

  • Menopause is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemias.
  • These lipid changes often cluster with other cardiovascular risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review coronary heart disease risk factors in postmenopausal women.
  • To evaluate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for prevention and treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive Medline searches were conducted.
  • Included studies focused on risk factors, lipid levels, therapies, and clinical trial endpoints.

Main Results:

  • Estrogen therapy is not recommended for cardiovascular disease prevention.
  • Statins effectively reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  • Statins are the preferred first-line therapy for lipid-lowering.

Conclusions:

  • Obstetrician-gynecologists play a key role in managing cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women.
  • Statins should be the primary strategy for lipid-lowering.
  • Estrogen therapy should be limited to managing menopausal symptoms.
Abstract

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