Name one general risk factor for cardiovascular disease in midlife women.

• A. Smoking
• B. High calcium intake
• C. Excessive hydration
• D. High vitamin C intake

Answer: (A)

Smoking stands out as a major modifiable factor that increases cardiovascular risk in midlife women. It damages the blood vessels and promotes processes that drive atherosclerosis: endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and a pro-thrombotic state. It also causes vasoconstriction, raises blood pressure and heart rate, and worsens lipid disorders. During midlife, many women are undergoing menopause, which reduces estrogen’s protective effects on the heart and vessels; adding smoking to this hormonal shift accelerates vascular aging and lipid changes, amplifying overall risk. Because of these mechanisms, smoking is the best answer as a general risk factor for cardiovascular disease in this group. The other listed factors do not have a established link to increased cardiovascular risk in the general population.