Refining the role of reproductive factors on heart health

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide in both women and men. Yet, the first manifestation of IHD is typically 5 to 10 years later in women than in men.1 The reasons for these sex differences in the age at onset of IHD are not fully understood. Female sex hormones, especially oestrogen, however, are often thought to explain the lower age-standardised incidence of IHD in women. In experimental studies, oestrogen has shown to have multiple cardioprotective properties, including reduced fibrosis and oxidative stress, stimulation of angiogenesis and vasodilation, and improved mitochondrial function. In contrast, randomised controlled trials on the use of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women have shown little or no benefit for the prevention of IHD, although there may be some benefit among women who started treatment shortly after their menopause.2 A key challenge in robustly assessing the lifelong...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research