Heart, or cardiovascular disease is a condition in which insufficient amounts of oxygen rich blood flow to your heart, causing the heart muscle to deteriorate and, if not treated, die. The usual cause of this condition is a blockage in the coronary arteries, due to an accumulation of a fatty substance called cholesterol. While many of the risk factors associated with heart disease are controllable, the disease is often diagnosed late and many women are unaware of its symptoms and warning signs. Delayed diagnosis and treatment increases mortality rates. Understanding the risks, knowing the symptoms, and what can be done to help prevent this life threatening disease is vital.
Women seem to be partly protected from the risk of heart attack before menopause.
After menopause, a woman's risk of experiencing a heart attack begins to rise steadily. If menopause is brought on by a surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries, the risk of heart attack rises sharply. When menopause occurs naturally, the risk may develop more slowly. However, research shows that hormone replacement therapy after menopause may lower a woman's risk of coronary disease. It is important to speak with the doctor about having cholesterol levels checked periodically.