Do menopausal women have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease?
A fair amount of research has connected menopause with cardiovascular disease, including risk factors such as rising LDL (bad cholesterol) and decreasing HDL (good cholesterol). Plus, studies that have followed women over a stretch of time have found that those women with early menopause (45 and younger) have more cardiovascular health issues later on than those who have menopause closer to the normal age (around 50). Complex hormonal changes are taking place during menopause, particularly when menopause occurs at a younger age compared to the average menopausal age of 50 years. “We may not be exactly measuring the things that affect cardiovascular risk,” cautions Dr. Pamela Ouyang, Director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. “Early menopause seems to have some effect on cardiovascular health, but there is still plenty of debate as to exactly what that effect is and how much.” Also, many cardiovascular events that are associated with me
