Atherogenesis is the underlying cause of not only coronary artery disease but of arterial disease throughout the body. It is seen as cholesterol plaque within arteries, and we call it atherosclerosis. Female sex hormones exert a protective effect against atherosclerosis. Women prior to menopause are at a much lower risk (ratio 1:10) of cardiovascular disease than men of the same age. After menopause, a woman's cardiovascular disease risk increases until it becomes the main cause of death by about age 60. Total mortality from cardiovascular disease in women eventually almost equals that of men. To understand how this happens, it is important to understand atherogenesis.
