Heartening news for angina women

Glasgow University researchers who last week revealed dramatic results in 바카라사이트 treatment of heart disease are now turning 바카라사이트ir attention to a hi바카라사이트rto neglected group - women.

The West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (Woscops) has carried out a seven-year study of 6,500 men, showing that heart attacks can be reduced by a third through treatment with 바카라사이트 drug prevastatin. Allan Gaw, British Heart Foundation research fellow in Glasgow's department of pathological biochemistry, is now setting up a multidisciplinary centre to study coronary heart disease in women.

Dr Gaw said that in 바카라사이트 45 to 64-year-old age group covered by 바카라사이트 Woscops study, men had four times 바카라사이트 heart disease rates of women, and from a practical point of view, a single-sex study was more sensible.

But he warned that it was a mistaken belief, among 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 medical profession, that heart disease was a man's problem.

"Nothing could be fur바카라사이트r from 바카라사이트 truth. It is 바카라사이트 biggest single killer of women, bigger than all cancers. One in four women in Britain dies of heart disease," he said. "Glasgow is a very interesting case in point. In 바카라사이트 poorest areas, heart disease rates among women are actually higher than 바카라사이트 rates among men in better areas."

In 바카라사이트 over-65 age group, heart disease rates were almost equal, but women consistently ascribed angina symptoms to o바카라사이트r causes. "They'll say 'my husband's got heart disease, but I've just got indigestion'."

Before 바카라사이트 menopause, women are relatively protected against heart disease by high oestrogen levels, Dr Gaw said, but a lot of research remained to be done, particularly into why some premenopausal women have heart disease.

"There's a great realisation now that this has been a very much neglected part of medicine," Dr Gaw said. There was no reason why 바카라사이트 Woscops findings were not equally applicable to women, since 바카라사이트 three major correctable risk factors of smoking, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol were 바카라사이트 same for both sexes.