Heart health warning for women going through the menopause as study finds ... trends now
View
comments
Menopause causes a rapid decline in women's heart health putting them at the same risk as men the same age, research suggests.
The fall in oestrogen levels can trigger plaque build-up in the arteries which statins seemed unable to prevent, a study found.
Experts said it shows the importance of recognising early warning signs of heart disease risk in women and the need for different treatments.
Researchers studied 579 postmenopausal women who have already been placed on statins to help control their cholesterol.
They were given coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans – similar to an X-ray - to measure the buildup of fats, calcium and other heart disease-related substances in the heart's arteries.
The fall in oestrogen levels can trigger plaque build-up in the arteries which can cause heart problems
HRT prescriptions for menopausal women have soared over the past few years, with 11million items handed out to help deal with symptoms in 2022/23
Two scans were given, a year apart, with the higher the CAC score, the bigger risk of a heart attack or other cardiac events.
Researchers from Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, California, divided the participants into three groups with CAC levels of 1–99, 100–399, and 400 or higher at the start.
Between their first and second heart scan, women with a CAC of
