Menopause & Heart Health — and more

On the Medical Watch, some important heart health news for women. The American Heart Association has compiled several studies to give women the best advice for preserving heart health, even as hormones wane. Heart disease kills more women every year than breast cancer, and menopause plays a huge role. Even in the years leading up to menopause, heart changes occur that can be deadly, thanks to a decline in estrogen, hot flashes disrupting sleep quality, increased body fat around the organs, and increased cholesterol levels. The journal Circulation reports on the menopause heart impact. One in four will develop irregular heart rhythm or atrial fibrillation following sleep disturbances in menopause. Obesity in menopause increases heart failure risk, older than 55. Early menopause, before age 40, causes a 40% increased risk for heart disease compared to women who go through later in life. And finally, facing social isolation and loneliness in post-menopausal women leads to a 30% increased heart disease risk. Many people try to stand more to decrease heart risk from excessive sitting, but doctors say they may be doing more harm than good. Standing desks have become a popular option in the office, but a new University of Sydney study reveals over the long term, standing more compared with sitting does not improve cardiovascular health or ward off strokes and heart failure. Standing for long periods of time, though, does enhance the threat of circulatory problems like varicose veins and blood clots. While sitting for more than 10 hours a day does have negative consequences, a better way to offset that is to take a walk and engage in more aerobic activity. When it comes to pain, men and women process differently. The way the body experiences pain also alters the efficacy of pain relievers. UC San Diego researchers evaluating response to lower back pain medications discovered different biological systems at work in males and females who are in pain. The result? Opioids do not work as well for women, and many need to take more to feel desired pain relief. And that could risk addiction, as dependency occurs when the original dose stops working. Doctors say pain relievers need to be tailored to individual sexes to improve patient outcomes. Back to you.