Lipids and cardiovascular disease: do the findings and therapy apply equally to men and women?

Dyslipoproteinemia is prevalent in women as well as in men. In both, its consequences--premature atherosclerosis and CAD morbidity and mortality--are more common. Although clinical evidence of the benefits of cholesterol lowering is less abundant in women, it is not entirely absent. As in men, cholesterol lowering in women is associated with a decline in CAD risk and with regression of coronary atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein risk factors have some special characteristics in women. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol may be a less important risk factor in women, perhaps because estrogen protects the arterial wall against LDL deposition. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a better predictor of risk in women than in men. Triglycerides are an independent predictor of CAD risk in postmenopausal women. The effects of endogenous gonadal hormones in life-cycle changes in women is evident. As girls pass through puberty, HDL-C levels do not fall as they do in boys of the same age. In pregnancy, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglyceride levels all rise. However, LDL-C stays elevated until well after delivery, whereas triglycerides fall to baseline at about the time of delivery, and HDL-C levels begin to fall at about 24 weeks. Interestingly, this fall in HDL-C is not accompanied by a fall in apoA-I levels, implying a change in HDL composition during the latter portion of pregnancy. After menopause, LDL-C levels rise sharply, whereas HDL-C levels decline modestly. Again, this decline in HDL-C is accompanied by a rise in apoA-I levels, implying a change in HDL composition. Diet, weight loss, and exercise are less effective in altering lipoprotein levels in women than in men. The reasons for this are not clear, although it is reasonable to speculate that endogenous gonadal hormones play a role. Genetic dyslipoproteinemia occurs in women, although the effect on CAD rates may be mitigated by the generally higher levels of HDL-C enjoyed by women. Exogenous hormones in the form of OCs and postmenopausal HRT affect circulating lipoprotein levels according to their composition. Generally, estrogens have favorable effects, raising HDL-C and lowering LDL-C levels. Progestins are either neutral or oppose estrogen effects, depending on their dose and androgenicity. Use of modern OCs probably does not adversely affect CAD risk except in combination with cigarette smoking. However, HRT has a strong favorable effect on CAD risk when unopposed estrogen is used, probably due to increases in HDL-C levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)