The mammogram coupled with the self breast exam is certainly the best screening option we have available today. Some women will say 'I don't know what I am looking for - everything feels bumpy'. If you look at the overall death rate, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of American women. Although breast cancer screenings are very important, women need to spend as much time and energy protecting their cardiovascular health. Heart disease, which includes high blood pressure, heart failure, clogged arteries and heart attack, is responsible for nearly 500,000 female deaths annually.
Women are three times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than breast cancer.
When a woman enters menopause and her estrogen production declines, her risk of developing heart disease dramatically rises. Also, women need to be aware of their risk factors so they can discuss treatment options at regularly scheduled physician appointments. Phillips also encourages postmenopausal women to have regular detailed cholesterol checks, and hypertension and diabetes screens. Although low levels of estrogen greatly contribute to a woman's risk of heart disease, studies into HRT and SERMs and whether they reduce a woman's risk of heart disease are still ongoing. Women who are at greater risk for heart disease and are interested in these treatment options should further discuss them with their physician.