Cause 12. Gender: A Matter of the Heart
Gender can influence the risk of heart disease, with men and women exhibiting different risk patterns. While heart disease is common in both genders, the onset might occur at different ages.
Men tend to develop heart disease earlier in life, and the risk starts to increase significantly after age 45. Conversely, women’s risk of heart disease increases after menopause, with a significant risk hike after age 55.
This difference is partly due to the protective effects of estrogen, which helps keep blood vessels flexible, thereby regulating blood pressure. After menopause, as estrogen levels drop, women’s risk of heart disease increases.
Moreover, certain heart disease risk factors might affect women more than men. For example, diabetes increases heart disease risk more in women than in men. Similarly, mental stress and depression affect women’s hearts more than they do men’s.
Consequently, gender plays a nuanced role in heart disease risk, with different factors influencing men and women. (12)
