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Dr. Dugan explains why women have a greater risk of heart disease after menopause.
Dr. Dugan:
So during menopause, we change our body composition. We have less lean mass and we have more fat mass, and part of that increase in fat mass is intra-abdominal fat. So before menopause, if you look at the risk of heart disease in women, it’s very low, and once they get to menopause, their heart disease risk skyrockets and actually it catches up with men which have a much higher risk in younger years. Intra-abdominal fat we think is one of the links between why women post-menopausally have higher heart disease risk.
About Dr. Dugan, M.D.:
Dr. Sheila A. Dugan, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. She is a faculty member of the Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Preventive Medicine. She is co-medical director of the Rush Program for Abdominal and Pelvic Health.
Dr. Dugan is multi board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, electrodiagnostic medicine and pain medicine. She is highly skilled in neurological and sports-related rehabilitation. Prior to medical school, she received her physical therapy degree from Northwestern University in 1986. She's currently pursuing development of a program focused on women's musculoskeletal care, including both their medical and rehabilitation needs.