Heart health goes downhill fast post-menopause

Stephanie Hudson
·2 min read

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Ladies, we already know about the hot flashes, and weight gain that often accompany menopause now a new study says the risk of heart disease can also rise sharply during this time.

From night sweats and belly bulge to depression and a drop in estrogen, doctors say everything that happens in menopause significantly increases a woman’s risk of heart attack.

“It makes it sound like the minute a woman goes into menopause she’s going to have a heart attack or a stroke, and that’s not true,” said Riverside Health System Cardiologist Dr. Alexandra Ward. “We just know the rate of events, the risk goes up.”

New research published by the American College of Cardiology shows post menopause, women catch up to men in terms of risk.

The findings suggest plaque buildup in arteries is accelerated in post-menopausal women.

Due to this information, researchers suggest post menopausal women talk to their doctor about personal risk. That includes knowing your numbers — blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C.

“There’s a few things that can be done,” Ward said. “One, it’s all about prevention.”

Healthy lifestyle choices matter, she added. Physical activity, eating right and getting good sleep all help protect your heart.

“Really work on the things that you can control,” Ward said, “and by reducing that risk as much as you can, then you’ve done literally all you can do.”

No matter how healthy you are, heart attacks can happen. So, Ward said, it’s important to know the symptoms:

  • Chest discomfort or burning sensation

  • Shortness of breath

  • Back, jaw arm or shoulder pain

  • Nausea

  • Fatigue

“It’s really important for women to know that’s what they are going to feel,” Ward said, “and if they feel that they really need to call 911 and go to the hospital.”

She added that just as hormones play a role in a woman’s increased risk for heart problems post menopause, there are some things that can happen in pregnancy that put a woman at higher risk for heart problems later in life.

That includes:

  • Gestational hypertension

  • Gestational diabetes

  • Pre-eclampsia or eclampsia

  • Peripartum cardiomyopathies (weakness of the heart muscle)

  • Having a baby that is small for gestational age

  • Preterm birth

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/02/20/the-connection-between-menopause-and-cardiovascular-disease-risks

https://newsroom.heart.org/news/menopause-and-heart-health-4-tips-for-a-healthy-heart-while-your-body-is-changing

https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/menopause

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.