Lipids, lipoproteins, women and cardiovascular disease.

The risk factors for cardiovascular disease are related directly or indirectly in women, as in men, to lipid and lipoprotein levels. But women have the advantage of the beneficial effects of either endogenous or exogenous estrogen on these levels throughout most of their lives. Behaviors such as smoking or diseases such as diabetes interfere with the favorable lipid and lipoprotein levels seen in women, and heart disease risk is increased significantly. Oral contraceptives have negative effects on lipids but appear not to increase risk for atherosclerosis in current or past users. Postmenopausal estrogen therapy appears to protect women from heart disease, but the long-term effect on risk is unknown for combination hormone therapy. The monitoring of a women's lipid profile, a major indicator of risk for heart disease, is of paramount importance.