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If you have a history of heart disease in your family, protecting yourself from heart disease should be a priority. Unfortunately, you could be unknowingly putting yourself at more risk by using hormone replacement therapy or other medical products.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often thought to have heart disease reducing benefits. However, new research has shown that these benefits might not offset the increased risk of breast cancer which results from HRT.
A recent study has found that there is a slight increase in the risk of heart attack amongst HRT users. Similar risks were also reported in postmenopausal women with preexisting heart disease.
Initial results from another study imply that a particular type of estrogen stops the progression of atherosclerosis to the same degree as cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. These findings coincide with other studies suggesting that estrogen improves the elasticity of arteries.
Estrogen’s heart-protective properties are still being examined, but most studies now suggest there is little benefit for women who already have heart disease. In the mean time, your best protection from heart disease comes from reducing risk factors such as smoking and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and using the proper medical equipment to keep you in good health.
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