As a rule, women have higher HDL (“good cholesterol”) levels than men. Estrogen tends to raise HDL, which may help to explain why premenopausal women are usually protected from developing heart disease. Estrogen production is highest during the childbearing years. While it is true women age 20 and over tend to have lower cholesterol levels than men of the same age, as they approach menopause, things change. LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and total cholesterol levels in most women start to rise. Loss of estrogen appears to be a significant contributor to the risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause.

Every woman should know her three basic “heart health” indicators: blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat percentage. Be sure to stop by Bon Secours SeniorFest and complete your heart healthy risk assessment worksheet.

Symptoms Of Heart Disease (The ABC’s)

Angina (chest pain): a tightness in the chest, sometimes radiating down the left arm or into the jaw. Often mistaken for indigestion.
Breathlessness: difficulty catching one’s breath.
Chronic Fatigue: being overwhelmingly and unusually tired.
Dizziness: possibly blackouts.
Edema: swelling of the ankles and/or lower legs.
Fluttering Heartbeat (or rapid rhythm)
Gastric Upset (or nausea)

Sources: Healing the Female Heart, by Elizabeth Ross, MD, and Judith Sachs, 1996.