Two of the nation's most respected medical journals; "Circulation" and the "Journal of The American College of Cardiology" reported Wednesday February 1, 2006 that "women are more likely than men to have a hidden type of coronary disease in which their heart muscles are starved for oxygen even though their coronary arteries look clear and are free of blockages on x-rays."
This condition, the Journal's report, "may affect 3 million American women and greatly increases the risk of a heart attack." The cause of this hidden disease doctors speculate is a buildup of fatty deposits inside the walls of the coronary arteries and in the very small arteries in the heart itself. It is not clear why women seem to be more prone to this hidden vascular disease, the researchers said, though it may be linked to hormonal imbalances and a greater tendency to suffer from inflammation, a newly discovered key risk factor for artery disease.
Since this condition is often not recognized, the study found the women can suffer more debilitating consequences from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes than men in their same age category. The "take-away" from this study is that women should be treated more aggressively by their doctors for these risk factors.
What We Can All Learn From The New Studies
- Technology has its limit's. X-Rays and Angiograms can miss key artery blockages and damage to the heart.
- It is important for all of us to lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking (if we smoke) and manage stress better.
- Don't settle for doctor comments, "all your test results came back fine." Ask questions! This is especially true is you have a family history of problems.
- Explore all available treatment options.
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