WOMEN AND HEART DISEASE
By Dr. Lon Jones, D.O.

Everyone knows that heart disease is the number one cause of death for men. However, it is also the number one killer of women, far more devastating than breast cancer. We used to think that women were protected from heart disease because of the estrogen and other hormones in their body. These hormones seemed to protect women far better than the androgens did for the men. It turns out that other factors are likely more important for heart disease.

Smoking compounds the risks of heart disease in women. Women seem even more susceptible to the harmful effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system than men. One of the major problems of heart disease is blood clots that form and clog the blood vessels narrowed by atherosclerosis. Estrogen makes these clotting factors sticky and so do the tars and nicotine from tobacco. We have known for some time that smoking women increase their risk of strokes and other clotting problems like pulmonary embolisms. These factors are also involved with heart disease.

Also, smoking actually saves the government money, but those who work with the government hesitate to point out this fact. The reason is simple: because of smoking fewer people live to the age where they can collect social security and medicare. This information is several years old and bypass operations may help in overcoming the difference. But, the bottom line is to stop smoking. Don't wait, do it now.

The type of hormones, as well as how they are delivered, is also important. A study was conducted in Italy with women who had heart disease. This group of women exercised on a treadmill until the doctors monitoring their hearts could see indications that their hearts were undergoing stress. After finding a baseline for each of the women they were given estrogen and exercised again. This time they could exercise for a longer period of time. Next they added a progestin and found that their exercise time was actually hurt. These medications were prescribed in pill form and progestin is the most commonly used prescription today. Progestins are artificial forms of progesterone that are changed into an active product in the liver. Finally they gave these women a natural progesterone in a vaginal suppository and found that it almost doubled their exercise time over that of the estrogen alone. Progesterone is the body's natural hormone for women when they are pregnant or in the last half of their cycle if they ovulate regularly. It is available in many different delivery forms with the most common being creams that are absorbed well through the skin. Some of the effects of this natural hormone, besides helping the heart, include strengthening the bones, helping the skin stay younger and preventing seizures in women with epilepsy.

All of the recent studies showing the harmful effects of continued hormone therapy were done using artificial progestins and estrogens from pregnant mares. Until similar studies show problems with natural hormones they should not be condemned as are their artificial and patentable counterparts.

Wild yam cream has some of this natural progesterone. Better is getting a prescription from your physician. Compounding pharmacists are able to mix this natural hormone for you. If they are not they should at least be able to tell you where you can buy it.