Lifestyle and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is important to post-menopausal women. Following menopause, CVD and resulting death increase greatly.

I. The Disease

CVD involves diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It includes heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmia, valve problems and stroke.

It is the number cause of death for both men and women. CVD causes more deaths than cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and accidents combined.

We can’t control our birth gender, age, or race. These and many other things influence our risk of developing or dying from CVD. But lifestyle and CVD are linked. And we can control lifestyle factors.

II. Lifestyle and CVD

What lifestyle factors increase risk factors for CVD and death in women after menopause? The major ones are these.

• • Not smoking.
  • Being physically active.
  • Keeping proper weight.
  • Drinking in moderation.

We have control over all these things. Thus, we can all have better health and longer lives.

III. The Study

To learn more, researchers made a careful review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. They analyzed 59 studies that involved 5,358,902 women.

Not smoking was the single most important way to reduce the risk of CVD, CVD death, and all-cause death.

Keeping proper weight (body mass index or BMI) was also important in reducing those risks. Drinking alcohol in moderation greatly reduced risk as did being physically active.

Beer, wine and distilled spirits have the same general health benefits. Spirits include rum, vodka, tequila, gin, whiskey, etc.

These findings from over five million post-menopausal women are consistent with research on other populations.

IV. Resources: Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Disease

Source

Colpani, V. et al. Lifestyle factors and cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly women. Euro J Epidem, 2018.

Web Pages

• • Alcohol and Cardiovascular Disease: Moderate Drinking is Protective.  
  • Cardiovascular Health Benefitted from Drinking Over Guidelines
  • Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Death
  • Drinking Alcohol, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Health, and Mortality
  • Drinking and Coronary Artery Disease Risk: Effects of Alcohol. 
  • Effects of Alcohol on Risk of Strokes and Heart Attacks (Health Facts).  
  • Drinking Alcohol and Mortality in Cardiovascular Disease Patients
  • Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health.Alcohol Abstainers Who Begin to Drink Reduce Their Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Readings

• • Ganzit, G. and Stefanini, L. Cardiovascular Diseases and Physical Activity. Torino : SEEd, 2012.
  • Mendis, S. Global Atlas on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control. Geneva: WHO, 2011.
  • Nardo, D. Cardiovascular Disease and Diet. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent, 2015.
  • Villegas, A. and Sanchez-Tainta, A. The Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease through the Mediterranean Diet. London: Academic, 2018.
  • Samaan, R. Dietary Fiber for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. London: Elsevier, 2017.

Note

This site gives no advice. Please see a doctor for advice on lifestyle and cardiovascular disease.