A woman's risk of developing heart disease increases after menopause, and one reason for this may be the jump in cholesterol levels that accompanies this stage of life. Both total and LDL, or unhealthy, cholesterol levels in the blood rise significantly in nearly all women as they reach menopause, regardless of their age, according to a study of menopausal transition in more than 3,000 women published in a 2009 issue of the Journal of the America College of Cardiology.
Significance
At least six times as many women die from heart disease as from breast cancer, according to Harvard Medical School. Heart disease in women is associated with menopause because it typically develops in older women, although both menopause and heart disease can occur within a wide range of ages. High blood cholesterol is one of several factors associated with the development of heart disease and, in women, is also linked to the onset of menopause.
Function
Over the course of a lifetime, high levels of LDL cholesterol contribute to plaque that builds up in the arteries over time, causing a condition known as atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing and hardening of the arteries that can lead to blockage. The result of a completely blocked artery is a heart attack or stroke. One way the female hormone estrogen protects women against heart disease by helping to keep HDL cholesterol levels high. HDL cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol that protects against the potentially damaging effects of LDL cholesterol by preventing LDL from sticking to artery walls. When a woman enters menopause, she begins to produce less estrogen and loses that protection.
Risk Factors
Age and menopausal status are not the only factors that affect cholesterol levels in women. Being overweight increases total and LDL cholesterol levels and decreases HDL cholesterol. Eating too many foods that are high in fat--especially saturated fat found mostly in animal foods and trans fats from commercially prepared baked goods, regular margarine and other foods made with hydrogenated cooking oils--also raises cholesterol. A tendency toward high cholesterol can also be inherited because your genes dictate how LDL cholesterol is controlled in your body.
Prevention/Solution
In addition to following a diet that is low in fat and saturated fat, quitting smoking if necessary, maintaining a healthy weight and getting plenty of exercise, an important step in the prevention of heart disease in women is monitoring blood fat and cholesterol levels before menopause. This is especially important for anyone with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.
Considerations
Triglycerides, or blood fats, often increase along with cholesterol levels at menopause, according to the National Institute on Aging. During routine physical exams, it is important to monitor triglyceride levels because, like high cholesterol, high triglycerides increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
References
- Journal of the American Journal of Cardiology: Are Changes in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Midlife Women Due to Chronological Aging or to the Menopausal Transition?
- Harvard Health Publications: Gender Matters--Heart Disease Risk in Women
- Federal Citizen Information Center: What You Need to Know About Cholesterol
- National Institute on Aging: Postmenopausal Health Concerns
