However, for medical practices to be effective, women themselves must play a major role in their own health care and take whatever steps they can to prevent these diseases from striking them. The following is an overview of information on osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer and depression that can help women make informed decisions about their own health. A Serious Threat for Older Women Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, taking more lives than the next 16 leading causes of death combined. For most women, the risk increases with menopause. As a woman loses estrogen, her body goes through potentially harmful lipid changes, such as an increase in cholesterol levels.
Research also indicates that estrogen loss has a direct effect on vascular tone.
Heart attacks have proven to be deadlier for women than for men. Since 1984, a greater number of women than men have died from cardiovascular disease, taking the lives of nearly 500,000 women annually. About 44 percent of women will die within one year of a heart attack compared to 27 percent of men. The risk to African-American women is even higher. The most important prevention step for women is to work closely with their physicians and have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly.