| Blood Pressure
Lifestyle. Women should be encouraged to maintain a blood pressure of <120/80 mm Hg through lifestyle approaches.54
Drugs. Hypertensive pharmacotherapy is indicated with a blood pressure of  140/90 mm Hg or even lower in the presence of related organ damage or diabetes. Thiazide diuretics should be included in the regimen for most patients, unless contraindicated.54
Lipid-Level Management
Lifestyle. Reduction to, or maintenance of, an optimal lipid profile through lifestyle approaches should be encouraged. An optimal profile in women includes54:
- LDL cholesterol <100 mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol >50 mg/dL
- Triglycerides <150 mg/dL
- Non-HDL cholesterol <130 mg/dL
Diet Therapy. In high-risk women or those with elevated LDL cholesterol, saturated fat intake should be reduced to <7% of calories and cholesterol to <200 mg/d. Trans-fatty acid intake should also be reduced.54
Pharmacotherapy: High Risk. In high-risk women with LDL cholesterol 100 mg/dL, lipid-lowering therapy (preferably with a statin) should be initiated simultaneously with lifestyle therapy. Statin therapy should be initiated in high-risk women with LDL cholesterol  100 mg/dL, unless contraindicated.54
Pharmacotherapy: Intermediate Risk. In intermediate-risk women with LDL cholesterol 130 mg/dL with lifestyle therapy, lipid-lowering therapy (preferably with a statin) should be initiated. If HDL is low or non-HDL is elevated after the LDL goal is reached, niacin or fibrate therapy should be considered.54
Pharmacotherapy: Lower Risk. Lipid-lowering therapy should be initiated in women with <1 risk factor if LDL is 190 mg/dL or if multiple risk factors are present when LDL is 160 mg/dL. If HDL is low or non-HDL is elevated after the LDL goal is reached, niacin or fibrate therapy should be considered.54
Diabetes Management
Lifestyle therapy and pharmacotherapy should be used to achieve near normal HbA1c (<7%) in diabetic women.54 |
