Heart disease affects both men and women, but it can develop and present differently in women. Menopause is one of the major hormonal transitions a woman experiences. As the body produces less estrogen, several changes can take place within the cardiovascular system. Learning how menopause relates to women’s heart health may help women recognize possible warning signs, understand their personal risk factors, and become familiar with the evaluation and management options a cardiologist offers.
What Is Women’s Heart Health?
Women’s heart health is an area of cardiology, addressing the prevention, detection, and management of cardiovascular conditions in women. Women may develop heart disease differently than men, and they face risk factors related to reproductive and hormonal health. Heart disease remains a leading cause of death among women.
Many risk factors affect both men and women, and these include high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and limited physical activity. Women also have risk factors that men do not share. Complications during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia, are associated with a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease. When symptoms appear, they can include:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Heart palpitations
- Swelling in the legs
They may also have less typical signs, including nausea, pain in the jaw, neck, or back, and fatigue that feels unusual or persistent.
How Does Menopause Affect It?
Menopause is the point at which menstrual periods stop permanently. It is generally confirmed after 12 consecutive months without a period, and it most often occurs in a woman’s 40s or 50s. During this transition, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen.
Estrogen plays a role in several cardiovascular functions. It helps blood vessels remain flexible, and it is associated with lower levels of plaque buildup in the arteries. As estrogen levels decline, blood vessels may become less flexible. Blood pressure can also increase. These changes are associated with a greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease over time.
How Is It Treated?
Care for women’s heart health can begin with preventive cardiology, which focuses on identifying risks before symptoms develop. A cardiologist may perform a cardiovascular risk assessment that reviews personal and family medical history, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and lifestyle habits. Diagnostic testing can provide more detailed information about how the heart functions, and an echocardiogram is a common tool.
Some cardiology practices also offer services that patients may use at home, such as mobile cardiac telemetry. Remote cardiac rehabilitation allows patients to take part in a structured program without traveling to a facility. Medication may be recommended when appropriate, and it is used to manage blood pressure or cholesterol.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) supplements estrogen, and sometimes progesterone, to address menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. Its effects on the cardiovascular system are complex, and some women who are exploring HRT receive a cardiovascular evaluation before beginning treatment. A cardiologist may assess whether HRT is suitable from a cardiovascular standpoint.
Meet With a Cardiologist
Hormonal changes begin during perimenopause, and they can start several years before a woman’s final menstrual period. Discussing heart health with a cardiologist during this earlier stage allows changes in blood pressure, cholesterol, and other measurements to be tracked over time. A cardiologist can work alongside other members of a woman’s care team, including her primary care physician and gynecologist, to create a coordinated approach to heart health during and after menopause.
