Generic placeholder image

Current Medicinal Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 0929-8673
ISSN (Online): 1875-533X

Atherosclerotic and Non-Atherosclerotic Coronary Heart Disease in Women

Author(s): Genovefa Kolovou, Vana Kolovou, Maria Koutelou and Sophie Mavrogeni

Volume 22, Issue 31, 2015

Page: [3555 - 3564] Pages: 10

DOI: 10.2174/0929867322666150904105941

Price: $65

Abstract

Atherosclerotic Coronary heart disease (CHD) and non-atherosclerotic CHD in individuals less than 50 years of age is considered a “men’s case”. Undoubtedly, premenopausal women develop atherosclerotic/non-atherosclerotic CHD relatively rarely compared with men. This is attributed mostly to the cardioprotective role of estrogens (mainly estradiol). Nevertheless, there are predisposing conditions, which also make young women vulnerable to develop atherosclerotic/non-atherosclerotic CHD. Women who have classical cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, obesity, and dyslipidaemia, are more likely to develop cardiac events, even at a young age. Moreover, there are also other conditions that cause acute coronary syndromes, even in the absence of coronary atheromatic plaques such as myocardial bridge, coronary artery dissection, coronary artery spasm, coronary artery embolism and congenital anomalies of coronary arteries. Also, autoimmune diseases, some of which are more prevalent in women can cause atherosclerotic/ non-atherosclerotic CHD. In this narrative review we have summarized some of the causes that predispose young women to develop atherosclerotic/non-atherosclerotic CHD.

Keywords: Autoimmune disease, coronary heart disease, women.


Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy