Part E: Cardiovascular Risk

Mary’s medical journey takes an unexpected turn as she confronts a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mary learns that she has an elevated cardiovascular risk due to gestational diabetes history.

Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women according to the Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance Atlas
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CVD Risk

Mary has an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to her postmenopausal state. This stage of a woman’s life is even more vulnerable to cardiovascular problems because menopause is linked to a reduction in estrogen, which is considered to be cardioprotective.

Illustrates the Potential Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women by increasing age.
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Risks of CVD

Traditional Risk Factors

Age

 Female Risk Factors

Gestational diabetes
Family history Female gender
Hypertension Menopause
Poor diet Hormonal status

Prevention

Mary’s doctor informs her of her elevated risk of CVD, stressing the importance of lifestyle changes, continuous observation, and possible treatments to reduce the risk.

Shows the elevated risk of CVD, lifestyle changes, and possible treatments to reduce the risk.
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Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined by reduced glucose tolerance that initially appears or is identified during pregnancy. It is a condition when there is an increase in insulin resistance and insufficient regulation of glucose.

Mary experienced difficulties controlling her blood sugar levels when this problem first appeared during one of her pregnancies. Studies have shown that women with a history of gestational diabetes are at an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life.

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Multi-Course Case Studies in Health Sciences (Version 2) Copyright © 2021 by Laura Banks; Elita Partosoedarso; Manon Lemonde; Robert Balogh; Adam Cole; Mika Nonoyama; Otto Sanchez; Sarah West; Sarah Stokes; Syed Qadri; Robin Kay; Mary Chiu; and Lynn Zhu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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