Sexual dissatisfaction in postmenopausal women not linked to cardiovascular diseaseApril 03, 2008Although sexual dysfunction in some men is predictive of cardiovascular disease, this association has never been examined in women. In an article published in the April 2008 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found no increased prevalence or incidence of cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal sexually active female subjects who were dissatisfied with their sexual activity. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) and collaborators nationwide examined data from over 93,000 women in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Participants were sexually active postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years, recruited at 40 clinical centers throughout the United States and followed for 8-12 years. Based on responses to a baseline survey, subjects were classified as sexually satisfied or dissatisfied. Researchers identified cardiovascular disease as a self-reported history of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or coronary revascularization procedure. Related cardiovascular problems, including congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease and angina were also examined.
According to researchers, there was a modest association between being dissatisfied with sexual activity and having peripheral arterial disease, and angina was decreased among those dissatisfied with sexual activity. However, there was no association between sexual dissatisfaction and the presence of any other form of cardiovascular disease including heart attack or stroke. Writing in the article, Jennifer McCall-Hosenfeld, MD, MSc, a fellow in the Department of General Internal Medicine at BMC and Women's Health at BUSM, states, "In men, erectile dysfunction is a manifestation of cardiovascular disease, and can predict the development of adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as heart attack. In our study, we used decreased sexual satisfaction as a rough proxy measure for sexual dysfunction, and controlled for lifestyle issues and other factors that might impact sexual satisfaction. We did not find that sexual satisfaction predicted cardiovascular disease in the future." Elsevier Health Sciences | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Postmenopausal Current Events and Postmenopausal News Articles Changes in sex steroids associated with menopause A study in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the increased rate of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) change that occurs during menopause is associated with increased objective sleep duration but poor subjective sleep quality. Merck's odanacatib increased BMD over 2 years at key fracture sites in Phase IIB study Two-year data from a Phase IIB study of odanacatib (formerly MK-0822), an investigational, selective cathepsin-K inhibitor in development for the treatment of osteoporosis by Merck & Co., Inc., demonstrated dose- dependent increases in bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip, lumbar spine and femoral neck fracture sites and decreased indices of bone resorption compared to placebo in postmenopausal women with low BMD. Improved estrogen reception may sharpen fuzzy memory Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in women with certain medical conditions, but University of Florida researchers suggest that recharging a naturally occurring estrogen receptor in the brain may also clear cognitive cobwebs. Hip bone density helps predict breast cancer risk Measuring a woman's bone mineral density can provide additional information that may help more accurately determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Vitamin A pushes breast cancer to form blood vessel cells Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have discovered that vitamin A, when applied to breast cancer cells, turns on genes that can push stem cells embedded in a tumor to morph into endothelial cells. These cells can then build blood vessels to link up to the body's blood supply, promoting further tumor growth. Risk of gall bladder disease with HRT patches lower than with HRT pills Use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the risk of gallbladder disease but the effects are less with HRT given in skin patches or gels compared with HRT given orally, according to a study published on BMJ.com today. Complex Changes in the Brain's Vascular System Occur after Menopause Many women experience menopausal changes in their body including hot flashes, moodiness and fatigue, but the changes they don't notice can be more dangerous. Estrogen therapy helps or hurts the brain depending on reproductive status Estrogen therapy may limit stroke damage if started close to, but not long after reproductive cycles are over, according to a new animal study. The results were presented Sunday, June 15, at The Endocrine Society's 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Ovarian function and fertility preserved in women with severe systemic lupus erythematosus Ovarian function can be preserved and disease activity controlled in women with severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) when treated with a 6-month course of cyclophosphamide (CYC), a chemotherapy drug, followed by the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Tufts researcher leads revision of osteoporosis guidelines Tufts University researcher Bess Dawson-Hughes, M.D., chaired the committee that recently updated the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. More Postmenopausal Current Events and Postmenopausal News Articles |
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