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MENOPAUSE
- In addition to
producing some potentially uncomfortable symptoms, menopause can have
more serious, long-term consequences on a woman's overall health and
potential years of life. For example, the drop in estrogen that occurs
at menopause is thought to cause adverse changes in levels of cholesterol
and other blood lipids (fats), and in levels of fibrinogen (a substance
that affects blood clotting). These changes may increase the risk
of heart disease, the leading cause of death among American women,
and stroke. About 370,000 women in this country die each year from
heart disease, and nearly 93,000 die from stroke.
- Osteoporosis
(thinning of the bones) is another serious concern of later life whose
effects are aggravated by menopause. Menopause speeds up the bone
depletion that occurs during normal aging processes. About 25 percent
of women gradually experience bone fragility and fractures as their
estrogen levels decline. A decrease in bone mass may lead to curvature
of the spine, fractures of the vertebrae, loss of height, and pain.
Hip fractures are a common injury in women with osteoporosis that
usually require a long recovery period; up to one-fourth of those
who do recover need to enter a long-term care facility.
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