Women's Health: Experts Demanded Optimal Care
On Monday afternoon, experts at an event by the Praevenire Health Initiative in Vienna called for optimal care. Health Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) emphasized the right of those affected to appropriate assistance.
"It's not just about health issues. It's also about social issues. It's also about societal issues. Women want solutions. They have every right to them," said Korinna Schumann. Gender medicine across the many different life phases of women is just as important as the topic of the working world, for example during the menopause period. "The phase of menopause is not a wellness topic." It is about providing the best support and care to those affected through this life phase.
Longer Life - Poorer Health
In around 1,500 human genes - nearly 80 of which are crucial for sexual functions - biological differences occur concerning health, according to Vienna gender medicine specialist Alexandra Kautzky-Willer (MedUni Vienna).
"Men die much earlier. Women live longer, but in poorer health," explained the doctor. Of the five-year higher life expectancy for women compared to men, 1.5 years are due to (genetic) biological differences, but three and a half years are due to gender differences, including social, psychological, and societal factors.
"Women have a lower (caloric; note) basal metabolic rate than men, lower fasting blood sugar, higher insulin sensitivity, and less abdominal fat. But only until menopause," said the internist. This is precisely why it is crucial to appropriately support women in later life. While risk factors for chronic and acute diseases increase with menopause, controlling body weight, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes could prevent around half of all deaths, especially from cardiovascular diseases.
Hormone Replacement in Current Form Largely Harmless
"Hormones are the messengers of life. We often only become aware of hormones when we have imbalances," said the Viennese gynecologist Ulrike Kaufmann. Contrary to the fears that dominated from the turn of the millennium due to a large study on breast cancer risk and hormone replacement, there is only a low to no increased risk with substitution conducted according to the current standard with bioidentical estrogens and micronized progesterone. On the other hand, 90 percent of women going through menopause complain of nervousness and irritability, 80 percent of a decrease in performance, and 60 percent of hot flashes.
"Individually tailored," "as little as possible," "as much as necessary," and as short as possible should be the guiding principles of hormone replacement therapy. The Viennese gynecologist and former head of the hospitals of the city of Vienna, Wilhelm Marhold: "Women often lack 'a whisper' of estradiol (estrogen-equivalent substance; note)." Early detection is also important for the onset of menopausal symptoms. This can also prevent unnecessary referrals to orthopedists, etc., along with prescriptions for antirheumatics (joint pain), analgesics, psychotropic drugs, and sleeping pills, along with patient odysseys.
The Upper Austrian general practitioner and founder of one of the first primary care centers, Erwin Rebhandl: "Women's health is a very central issue in primary care. The key is communication. The complaints of women going through menopause are often articulated very diffusely."
Contrary to often expressed opinions from the past, currently, a similar number of women as men are affected by acute heart attacks. The mortality rate for women is higher, emphasized the Viennese cardiologist Georg Delle-Karth. Cardiovascular diseases are no longer a male domain.
(APA/Red)
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