Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Canada. But St. Boniface Hospital researchers are working hard to change this.
Before women go through menopause, they tend to have fewer heart attacks and strokes than men. However, they experience more after menopause. As hormone levels change and drop, blood vessels in postmenopausal women become stiffer, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Carla Taylor, Principal Investigator, Metabolic Nutrition, Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM), is leading a study with co-investigators Dr. Harold Aukema, Principal Investigator (CCARM) and Dr. Peter Zahradka, Principal Investigator (CCARM) to better understand the factors that contribute to cardiovascular health in women, and what could protect better against heart disease. Their work examines how sex, age, menopausal status, omega-3 levels, and arterial stiffness – known by the study acronym SAMOAS – interact to influence our heart health.
Their team has identified bioactive fat molecules derived from omega-3 fatty acids, called oxylipins, which may help protect women from arterial stiffness. Premenopausal women have higher levels of specific oxylipins, which are associated with better blood vessel elasticity. However, once women pass menopause, their levels of these desirable molecules decrease, leading to stiffer arteries and a higher risk of heart disease.
“You can think of your blood vessels like a garden hose,” explained Dr. Taylor. “Before menopause, or in younger people, that hose is flexible and elastic. After menopause, or in older people, the vessels stiffen, like a pipe. Less elasticity and flexibility mean the blood moves faster, and we can measure this with specialized equipment to determine the health of blood vessels.”
The Next Step: Testing Fish Oil
In addition to hormone levels, omega-3 fatty acids play a large role in maintaining heart health. These essential fats, found in high quantities in fish, influence oxylipin levels in the body. Given that Manitobans consume less fish than some other populations due to our land-locked location, Dr. Taylor’s team is also investigating whether omega-3 intake – or a lack thereof – affects arterial stiffness in the way they think it might.
The current clinical study is analyzing four key groups: premenopausal women and men of the same age, and postmenopausal women and age-matched men. By comparing these groups, researchers aim to better understand the differences in arterial stiffness based on sex and menopause status. Participants undergo measurements of blood vessel health, blood pressure, blood oxylipins, and body composition, to get a clearer picture of how cardiovascular health differs in women and men.
A follow-up study will explore whether fish oil supplementation can help restore desirable oxylipin levels and reduce arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women and older men. If effective, this intervention could offer a way to protect women against cardiovascular disease as they age.
You Can Help
St. Boniface Hospital Research is working to close the gender and sex-based knowledge gap in cardiac research, thanks to donor support. Your generosity funds discoveries that can improve heart health for generations to come.