Menopause and Your Heart Health

When people think about menopause, they usually think of hot flushes, disrupted sleep or changes in mood. Far fewer think about their heart. Yet the British Heart Foundation highlights that a woman’s risk of coronary heart disease rises sharply after menopause, and that twice as many women in the UK die from coronary heart disease as from breast cancer.

Many women are surprised by this. Heart disease is still often seen as a man’s problem, and BHF research has found that women who have a heart attack are more likely to be given the wrong initial diagnosis. Understanding how menopause affects your heart is the first step to protecting it.

Why Menopause Changes Your Heart Risk

Before menopause, women generally have a lower risk of coronary heart disease than men of the same age. Part of the reason is oestrogen, which helps keep blood vessels healthy and supports a better balance of cholesterol.

As oestrogen levels fall during perimenopause and menopause, that protection reduces. At the same time, several other changes tend to happen. LDL cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol, can rise. Blood pressure may creep up. Many women notice weight settling around the middle, and the body can become less responsive to insulin, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Each of these raises heart risk on its own, and together they can add up quickly.

The Numbers Worth Monitoring

The good news is that most of these changes can be measured with simple checks, and many can be improved once you know about them. The key ones to keep an eye on are your blood pressure, your cholesterol, your blood sugar (measured with an HbA1c test) and your weight and waist measurement. A family history of heart disease and smoking also add to the overall picture.

If you have been diagnosed with PMOS, or had high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy, your cardio-metabolic risk may already be higher, which makes regular checks even more worthwhile.

When to Book a Review

Perimenopause and menopause are a natural point to take stock of your heart health, even if you feel well. As the BHF points out, there are few stages of life when you know for certain that your risk of an illness is increasing, and that knowledge gives you the chance to do something about it.

It’s also important not to dismiss symptoms. Chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations or unusual tiredness should always be checked by a doctor. Chest pain that is severe, or spreads to your arm, jaw or back, needs urgent help, so call 999.

At ERIC Healthcare, our Women’s Health Clinic offers time to talk through your menopause symptoms and what they mean for your long-term health. Where a fuller assessment would help, our Cardio-Metabolic Health Clinic can check your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight in one appointment, giving you a clear picture of your heart health and practical steps to protect it. Appointments are available in person at our Salford clinic or by virtual consultation.

Book a Women’s Health Clinic appointment today.

WhatsApp: +44 7951 553356

Phone: 0161 507 5162

Email: hello@erichealthcare.co.uk