Abstract
There has been a marked decline in cardiovascular (CV) mortality in recent decades, but despite extensive preventive measures and new treatment modalities, these are the leading cause of death in developed countries, especially among women. It is known that dyslipidaemia is the most significant risk factor of atherosclerotic CV diseases for the female population, which typically occur together with dyslipidaemia during menopause.
The key parameter of the lipid profile is LDL-cholesterol (independent of gender), but in some studies, a narrow association of CV risk with HDL-cholesterol or triglycerides is also found in women. According to the current guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemia there are no specific outputs for the female population; separate chapters are menopause, indication of oral contraceptives, hormonal replacement therapy or pregnancy.
The guidelines explicitly mention a thorough CV risk assessment to avoid unnecessary initiation of treatment in low-risk patients. The LDL-cholesterol goals correspond to the CV risk categories; the basis of the treatment are statins, which can be combined with other lipid-lowering drugs as needed.