Why men have more heart attacks
Atherosclerosis, a disease in which cholesterol plaques form on the walls of blood vessels, is the cause of myocardial infarction in 90% of cases. Since atherosclerosis is detected in men 3-4 times more often than in women, therefore, and myocardial infarction in the stronger half of humanity - a more common phenomenon, said "RG" chief physician of Laboratory "Hemotest" David Bichenov.This "inequality", he explained, is due to the hormonal background in women, who are protected from atherosclerosis and heart attack by female sex hormones estrogen, if women do not have chronic diseases that lead to early atherosclerosis. However, the doctor pointed out, the production of estrogen after menopause stops. Therefore, after about 50-60 years of age, the risks of heart attack in men and women are gradually compared.
Indeed, says Neya Georgieva, a therapist at Teledoctor24, women's bodies are protected until a certain age by estrogens, which protect the vessel wall from atherosclerotic plaques and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In addition, she says, women are less likely to smoke than men. In addition, they are more attentive to their health, while representatives of the "stronger half" rarely pass preventive annual check-ups and often neglect treatment of arterial hypertension. Taking into account all the above factors, male heart attack is 5 times more common than female, the expert emphasized.
According to the doctor of the State Budgetary Institution of the MO "Krasnogorsk Hospital" Arthur Egiyan, the female hormone estrogen significantly reduces the level of atherogenic fractions. It is these proteins that contribute to the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels - lipoproteins (LDL and LDL-C). Estrogens also increase the level of antiatherogenic high-density lipoproteins (HDL). In men - dominated by the hormone testosterone, which, unfortunately, does not have these properties. It is worth noting, Yegiyan pointed out, that along with testosterone, men also produce estrogen, but in much smaller quantities than women.
At the same time, experts note that today the mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases in Russia is comparatively lower than it used to be. But in general, among its causes, heart attack takes the first place. About 25% of people die from it, and, unfortunately, among them a large percentage of young people aged 25 to 29 years. One of the important risk factors for myocardial infarction includes smoking, consumption of fatty food, sedentary lifestyle. At the same time, the average age of patients who have a heart attack is 55 - 65 years old. It can be prevented if you lead a healthy lifestyle, get rid of bad habits, introduce a little physical activity into your life and at least once a year undergo medical examination.