Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death for both sexes. It is hard to separate the role of your sex in the development of coronary artery disease from other factors such as smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Men and women who smoke or who have high blood pressure or hi blood cholesterol levels have higher risks of heart disease than others who control these factors.When you consider only the sex difference, men are more likely to have coronary artery disease than women-until women reach the age of menopause. Then the difference in risk between men and women shrinks.This difference certainly does not mean that women are “immune” from heart disease. In fact, 47 percent of American victims of fatal heart attack are women. In women, coronary artery disease develops, on the average, about 10 years later than in men.The female hormone estrogen may be one protector against heart disease. After its decline at menopause, women’s risks increase. The use of estrogen after menopause seems to reduce a woman’s risk of heart disease. However, it may increase her risk of cancer in the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer) and possibly of breast cancer. There is evidence that smoking may reduce estrogen levels in women and may hasten menopause—results that add to its list of bad effects on the heart.Until recently, much of the research relating to coronary artery disease focused mainly on men (see page 336). New studies are under way to determine whether the findings are applicable to women as well.*224\252\8*
Three main avenues can be used to achieve and maintain cholesterol levels that minimize your risk of future coronary artery disease: diet, exercise, and medications. The first two are almost universally advisable and achievable, regardless of an individual’s LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (the lipid profile). It appears that risk can be reduced at least somewhat even for people whose lipid profile is not very “abnormal.”
On the average, dietary measures can reduce your cholesterol level by up to 15 percent. Some people may respond even more impressively. For others with a strong genetic influence on their cholesterol level, changes in diet and exercise may not be enough to improve blood cholesterol levels.
Diet. Dietary changes are the mainstay of cholesterol management. The key concepts in making dietary changes lower cholesterol are to reduce the total fat (especially saturated fat) and cholesterol that you eat and to lose weight (especially if your triglyceride level is elevated).
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REDUCING YOUR RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL – DIETThree main avenues can be used to achieve and maintain cholesterol levels that minimize your risk of future coronary artery disease: diet, exercise, and medications. The first two are almost universally advisable and achievable, regardless of an individual’s LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (the lipid profile). It appears that risk can be reduced at least somewhat even for people whose lipid profile is not very “abnormal.”On the average, dietary measures can reduce your cholesterol level by up to 15 percent. Some people may respond even more impressively. For others with a strong genetic influence on their cholesterol level, changes in diet and exercise may not be enough to improve blood cholesterol levels.Diet. Dietary changes are the mainstay of cholesterol management. The key concepts in making dietary changes lower cholesterol are to reduce the total fat (especially saturated fat) and cholesterol that you eat and to lose weight (especially if your triglyceride level is elevated).*249\252\8*