Many women think cardiovascular disease is primarily a male concern and fear breast cancer more. The reality is that almost twice as many women die from cardiovascular disease and stroke than from all forms of cancer combined. Women's risk for heart disease increases significantly after menopause. The National Institutes of Health's Women's Health Initiative is currently studying the role of estrogen replacement therapy in protecting older women from heart disease.
Research shows that women of color are especially vulnerable to heart disease and stroke.
As the baby boomer generation ages, cardiovascular disease among women will become an even greater public health concern. Researchers at Harvard University believe they have found a new way to minimize brain damage caused by stroke. An experimental drug cuts stroke damage in mice by more than 50 percent by blocking the process that causes cells to die. The lesions are similar to those found in people suffering from clogged arteries. Research with mice at Washington University in St. Louis in 1998 demonstrated that estrogen may play a key role in regulating fat metabolism in cells.