New studies suggest that women of reproductive maturity who have surgery to remove both ovaries—known as bilateral oophorectomy—may be more likely to suffer heart failure later in life. After correcting for race, age, gender, diabetes, smoking status, and high cholesterol, women who had bilateral oophorectomy had a 50 percent greater risk of heart failure as compared with those in the general population who maintained their ovaries.
However, the risk of heart failure was two times higher for white women and those who had their ovaries removed at earlier ages. The result comes out to be a six percent absolute risk increase. Dr. Mary Greene of Manhattan Cardiology gives advice for ladies on hormonal therapy, including birth control tablets. Read the article.
Would you like to make an appointment with Dr. Mary Greene?
