CAD linked to polycystic ovaries in women

Women with polycystic ovaries are more likely to have coronary artery disease (CAD), report investigators from the Oxford (England) Radcliffe Hospital. In a study of 143 women undergoing coronary angiography, cardiologists found that women with more extensive CAD were more likely to have polycystic ovaries on sonogram than women with less extensive CAD. The women with polycystic ovaries also were more likely to have metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. Polycystic ovaries is a condition that causes hirsutism, acne, infertility, and menstrual irregularity in women. It is possible that hormone replacement therapy could modify the risk of CAD, but more research is needed.