Post-menopause heart disease link “underdiagnosed”

A leading cardiologist has warned that heart disease is the biggest killer of women worldwide but remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Dr Susan Connolly, a consultant a Galway University Hospital, said it was crucial women were aware of the risks of heart disease and added that the perception that it largely affects men needed to be eradicated.

Dr Connolly said the risk to women starts to increase at the time of the menopause due to hormonal changes.

She added “before the menopause, women’s risk of heart disease is much lower than men’s but then they rapidly catch up afterwards and it is thought to be due to the decline in oestrogen which is actually a heart protective hormone.”

She said she would encourage women to be in the best health they could be when they hit menopause, including watching their weight and alcohol intake, exercising and not smoking.

“Women tend to present later (than men) because they don’t realise they are having a heart attack, they don’t see themselves at risk.

“It’s the biggest killer of women worldwide.

“More women die from heart disease, twice as many than of breast cancer so it is crucial women re aware of their risk for heart disease and that starts to go up at the time of the menopause.”

As well as better physical and mental health, women who want to look after their heart are also advised to watch their cholesterol levels.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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