Virtual healthcare for women over 60

Written on February 1, 2023 by Theresa Vuskovich, DMD. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.

Table of contents

• Cardiovascular health
• Diabetes
• Colon health
• Breast health
• Hormones
• Everlywell offers an at-home women's health test
• Related content

As women age, their healthcare needs evolve. Staying active and enjoying life requires understanding your health risks and staying proactive. A proactive approach to your health means knowing what diseases are likely to affect you, when to see your healthcare provider, how to incorporate sustainable, healthy lifestyles, and which biomarkers are most important.

Biomarkers are measurable physical characteristics, such as blood pressure, which indicates heart health, and genes, which can indicate cancer risk [1]. If you are a woman over 60, you have distinct biomarkers that can measure your health and disease risk [2]. You and your healthcare provider can monitor your biomarkers over time to assess your disease risk and health status.

This article explains some diseases and biomarkers you should know if you are a woman over 60 or taking care of a woman over 60. You will also learn about the benefits of using Everlywell's at-home wellness tests and virtual healthcare for women over 60.

Cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular health refers to the health of your heart and blood vessels. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women [3]. Heart disease includes several conditions affecting the heart and vessels, including acute coronary syndrome (heart attack), atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeats), and atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) [6]. Women over 60 are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease [3].

One of the most important biomarkers of cardiovascular health is blood pressure [3]. Everyone should strive to keep their blood pressure below 130/80 mm/Hg [3]. Another critical biomarker for heart health is high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a protein produced by the liver that indicates the presence of inflammation in your body. Heart disease risk and recovery are predicted by hs-CRP levels [5]. An elevated level of hs-CRP indicates possible heart disease [5]. Everlywell's at-home heart health test will help you determine your hs-CRP levels.

Triglyceride levels are a biomarker of cardiovascular health [3]. Triglycerides are the primary fat found in the blood. High levels of triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Here are some proactive tips for improving your heart health [3,6,7]:

• Exercise 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity or 75 minutes per week at vigorous intensity
• Eat vegetables, fruit, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products primarily
• Keep a food diary and read food labels
• Maintain a diet of approximately 1,600 to 2,200 calories based on your activity level
• Avoid cigarette smoking
• Sleep more than 6 hours a night
• Keep your blood sugar within a healthy range (A1C below 5.7%)

Diabetes

An increasing number of older adults are developing diabetes, with 25% having diabetes and 50% having prediabetes [8]. Women with diabetes over 60 are at an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, and urinary incontinence [8]. A biomarker to track your diabetes is your hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) level, which measures how well you manage your blood sugar levels [9]. Keeping the healthy habits listed above can also help prevent and manage diabetes.

Colon health

A woman over 60 has a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer death [12]. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) and American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) recommend a colonoscopy every ten years starting at 45 years of age [11,12]. If you're over 75, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to continue having colonoscopies [12].

The USPTF and ACG also recommend having a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year [11,12]. A FIT checks your stool for blood, which may indicate colon cancer [11,12]. You can determine your colon cancer risk from the comfort of your own home with Everlywell's FIT test.

Breast health

The most common cancer among women is breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer [14]. Having mutations in your BRCA 1 and 2 genes can increase your lifetime risk of cancer by 45-87% [14]. At age 60 or above, you should have a mammogram every two years [13]. However, if you are a woman over 60 with a mutation in the BRCA 1 or 2 gene, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends an MRI and mammogram every year until 75 years [15].

Besides your genes, the following habits can increase your risk of breast cancer [14]:

• Having a high body mass index (BMI)
• Eating processed foods
• Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Drinking alcohol in excess

Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that send instructions to various parts of the body. The following are some of the key hormones women over 60 need to know:

1. Estradiol: represents the main form of estrogen in people assigned female at birth (AFAB) and is made by the ovaries. Estradiol is also involved in bone and brain health after menopause. A higher level of estradiol is associated with a greater risk of breast cancer [12].
2. Progesterone: keeps the lining of the uterus healthy and helps with pregnancy. Progesterone production decreases during menopause.
3. Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH): plays an essential role in ovulation and the menstrual cycle. With age, baseline FSH levels go up because ovarian reserve diminishes.
4. Thyroid hormones: include thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4). TSH controls the production of T3 and T4 and is the most sensitive biomarker for thyroid disease. T3 and T4 help determine the rate at which every cell in the body uses energy. T3 and T4 levels fluctuate when the thyroid gland is underactive or overactive.
5. Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: inhibit thyroid function and are elevated when a person has Hashimoto's disease, the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
6. Free Testosterone: supports muscle mass, bone density, libido, body fat distribution, and libido across all genders.

Everlywell offers an at-home women's health test

Everlywell offers at-home wellness tests and virtual care visits to provide insight into your health. Everlywell offers an at-home Women's Health Test that evaluates 11 biomarkers associated with health and wellness. Women over 60 can benefit from virtual healthcare and Everlywell's easy-to-understand, secure, and actionable online test results.

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References

1. About Biomarkers and qualifications. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. URL. Accessed January 27, 2023.
2. Yang H, Pawitan Y, Fang F, Czene K, Ye W. Biomarkers and disease trajectories influencing women’s health: Results from the UK Biobank cohort. Phenomics. 2022;2(3):184-193. doi:10.1007/s43657-022-00054-1. URL.
3. Arnett DK, Blumenthal RS, Albert MA, et al. 2019 ACC/AHA guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: A report of the American college of cardiology/American heart association task force on clinical practice guidelines. Circulation. 2019;140(11). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000000678. URL.
4. Other conditions related to heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Published January 20, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023.
5. Carrero JJ, Andersson Franko M, Obergfell A, Gabrielsen A, Jernberg T. hsCRP Level and the Risk of Death or Recurrent Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Myocardial Infarction: a Healthcare‐Based Study. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2019;8(11). doi:10.1161/jaha.119.012638. URL.
6. 5 tips for choosing healthier foods as you age. National Institute on Aging. URL. Accessed January 27, 2023.
7. Prevent heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Published April 21, 2020. Accessed January 26, 2023.
8. ElSayed NA, Aleppo G, Aroda VR, et al. 13. Older adults: Standards of care in diabetes-2023. Diabetes Care. 2023;46(Suppl 1):S216-S229. doi:10.2337/dc23-S013. URL.
9. All about your A1C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published September 23, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023. URL
10. Lotfollahzadeh S, Recio-Boiles A, Cagir B. Colon Cancer. URL. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
11. Colorectal cancer: Screening. Uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org. URL. Published May 18, 2021. Accessed January 27, 2023.
12. Shaukat A, Kahi CJ, Burke CA, Rabeneck L, Sauer BG, Rex DK. ACG clinical guidelines: Colorectal cancer screening 2021. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(3):458-479. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001122. URL.
13. Oeffinger KC, Fontham ETH, Etzioni R, et al. Breast cancer screening for women at average risk: 2015 guideline update from the American Cancer Society: 2015 Guideline update from the American Cancer Society. JAMA. 2015;314(15):1599-1614. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.12783. URL.
14. Łukasiewicz S, Czeczelewski M, Forma A, Baj J, Sitarz R, Stanisławek A. Breast Cancer-Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Classification, Prognostic Markers, and Current Treatment Strategies-An Updated Review. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(17):4287. URL. Published 2021 Aug 25. doi:10.3390/cancers13174287.
15. Dullens B, de Putter R, Lambertini M, et al. Cancer Surveillance in Healthy Carriers of Germline Pathogenic Variants in BRCA1/2: A Review of Secondary Prevention Guidelines. J Oncol. 2020;2020:9873954. URL. Published 2020 Jun 20. doi:10.1155/2020/9873954.