Womens Health

In an article in WebMD (1/24, Hendrick), review of a recent study suggested that middle-aged and older women who lower their blood pressure could reduce the risk of having a stroke, heart attack, or developing heart failure.

This study conducted in over 9,000 adults follow for a median of 11 years found that three risk factors accounted for 85% of reversible risk for women and men. This included high systolic blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. The most important risk factor in this study was felt to be high systolic blood pressure.

By lowering systolic blood pressure by 15 mmHg in hypertensive women, the study found there would be an increased benefit in quality of life by prevention of cardiovascular disease in about 40% of women. In this study, the researchers used 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This device measures blood pressure both during the day and at night at certain intervals.

Dr. Steven Reisman, a New York City Cardiologist states that at the New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center the doctors have recently been using a new in office automatic blood pressure device called BPTru to diagnose hypertension. This may also prove to be an excellent and more practical way to measure and treat high blood pressure in the prevention of heart disease.

Women with stressful jobs have a greater likelihood for having a heart attack. Healthday
(11/14/10, Gardner) has reported on a study just being presented at the annual American
Heart Association meeting. The researchers have followed more than 17,000 female health
professionals for over ten years evaluating job stress and cardiovascular disease.

The study looked at women with an average age of 57 at the beginning of the study and found
that women with high job strain defined as demanding jobs over which they have little control
were more likely to be sedentary and have elevated cholesterol. They were almost at double the
risk of having a heart attack and at 43% higher risk to undergo a coronary bypass procedure.

The study also found that women with job insecurity (those who are fearful of losing their
jobs) were not more likely to have a heart attack or other event but more likely to have several
risk factors for cardiovascular problems including physical inactivity, elevated cholesterol,
hypertension, and diabetes. They were also more likely to have an increase in weight.

The scientist who presented the study defined stressful jobs as those with demanding tasks
and little authority or creativity. The study appears to be one of the longest running studies
of cardiovascular effects of job strain only in women. It appears that mental tension and how
demanding the job is appear to have a major effect on cardiovascular health in women.

Dr. Steven Reisman, a Manhattan Cardiologist emphasizes that at the New York Cardiac
Diagnostic Center an emphasis is placed on women and heart disease with Dr. Lynn Mailloux
having a special interest in treating women with heart disease and diagnosing women with heart
disease. In addition, Dr. Reisman states that Dr. Alan Rozanski a top specialist in mental stress
and heart disease is a consultant to the New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center.

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LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE MAY HELP REDUCE WOMEN’S HEART DISEASE RISK.

WOMEN WITH STRESSFUL JOBS HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF HEART ATTACK