Cardiovascular risk assessment in postmenopausal women: the role of the gynecologist.

The gynecologist is often the only physician a woman consults on a regular basis and therefore gynecologists play a crucial role in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular risk factors in women entering the menopausal transition are poorly managed, partly due to the fact that primary-care physicians, gynecologists and cardiovascular physicians often fail to identify cardiovascular risk factors and also undertreat women at increased cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, most women are not well informed about their cardiovascular risk profile. Gynecologists and cardiologists should work together as a team in identifying and managing cardiovascular risk factors. European cardiologists and gynecologists have written a Consensus statement and a short guide to help menopause physicians to assess and manage the cardiovascular risk in women.