Dr. Conrad Maulfair Cites Iron as Factor in Women's Heart Disease

"When we think of heart disease and heart attacks and death from heart attacks we tend to think primarily of men. When we think about death in women we tend to think about breast or ovarian or uterine cancer. It's sobering to know that the facts are very different," says Dr. Conrad Maulfair, director of the Maulfair Medical Clinic in Topton, Pa.

It is currently estimated that one in three women will die of heart disease. On the other hand, the risk of developing breast cancer is one in nine and the chance of dying from it is one in twenty-five. Cardiovascular disease kills almost 250,000 more women annually than all forms of cancer combined. "Surprisingly and shockingly, 43,000 more women die of cardiovascular disease each year than men," says Dr. Maulfair. This places heart disease as the number one killer of American women today.

In a 1998 issue of the medical journal, Circulation, it was reported that women who die of coronary artery disease before the age of 50 were usually free of the accepted risk factors, such as hypertension and elevated cholesterol. The American Heart Association has determined that 44 percent of women who have had heart attacks die within one year, compared with only 27 percent of men.

It has been known for sometime that, as women age, their statistical potential of developing cardiovascular disease and heart attack increases. Prior to menopause it is significantly lower than for men. Within ten years or so after menopause, women statistically have an equal incidence of heart attack.

According to Dr. Maulfair, "It has long been thought that this was primarily a function of changing hormone levels. But another element to this puzzle has been ignored by the majority in standard medicine. Concurrent with menopause and hormone level changes is a cessation of menses. Women no longer have monthly blood loss. With decreased blood loss there is decreased loss of iron. Iron accelerates free radical damage. With the increase of stored iron is the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. Coincidental? I think not. As a reminder, the chelating agent in a chelation treatment lowers minerals, including iron."

He continues, "There are methods of identifying women who are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. These evaluations certainly should be done if a woman has already gone through menopause. It would be wise to do studies at anytime during menopause, as this would allow for an appropriate therapeutic prescription to be developed either to contribute to preventing heart disease or to begin a therapeutic program for treatment of the disease."

Dr. Maulfair concludes, "The information and studies we now have at hand concerning cardiovascular disease and heart attack with women impel us to encourage our wives, mothers, sisters and grandmothers to seek appropriate evaluation and treatment for cardiovascular disease."