Risk Factors
Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease are very similar in both women and men. Some of these are:
- Elevated blood cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Tobacco use (decreasing in men, increasing in women)
However, these risk factors alone don’t explain why men suffer from higher rates of cardiovascular disease. There are also some risk factors that are likely to contribute to the sex differences in rates of CVD.
- Estrogen: Women’s high levels of estrogen before menopause may protect them from CVD. CVD rates increase substantially in women after menopause
- Body weight: Men are more likely to be overweight than women
- Not consuming enough vegetables & fruit: More common in men
- Excessive salt intake: More common in men
- Anger & hostility: Men may be more vulnerable to the effects of chronic anger and hostility
