Menopause coronary artery disease

K16. Krstevska, M., Dzhekova-Stojkova, S., and Bosilkova, G., Menopause, coronary artery disease and antioxidants. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med. 39, 641—644 (2001). 

The clinical problems that arise in the menopause are hot flushes, sweating, depression, decreased libido, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. The latter results in increased incidence of hip, radial and vertebral fractures. Oestrogen is one factor controlling synthesis of active vitamin D and osteoporosis is in part due to a deficiency of vitamin D. Not surprisingly, to reduce these problems, administration of oestrogen is recommended (known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT). HRT reduces some of the risk factors for coronary artery disease since it reduces blood pressure and decreases the blood level of LDL-cholesterol and increases that of HDL-cholesterol. However, there is considerable debate about whether HRT increases the risk of breast or endometrial cancer. 

Menopause is a natural life event, not a disease. The decision to take hormone therapy must be individualized and based on several parameters, including menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis risk, coronary artery disease risk, breast cancer risk, and thromboem-... 

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