Heart Disease and Menopause

“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart
disease than men. However, as women age and their
oestrogen levels fall, their risk of cardiovascular disease…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Heart Disease and Menopause Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • After Menopause
  • Before Menopause
  • Cardiovascular Disease (CVD
  • Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
  • Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  • Heart Conditions
  • Heart Disease/s
  • Perimenopause
  • Postmenopause

Heart Disease

What is heart disease?

DotS the definition of heart disease may vary. The (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition is:

“The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack”.2

Before Menopause

Heart Disease and MenopauseHeart Disease and MenopauseIs there an association between before menopause and heart disease?

In What Is Menopause: Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart disease than men. However, as women age and their oestrogen levels fall, their risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Heart disease is one of the leading cause of death for Australian women. Heart disease also claims three times as many lives as breast cancer”.3

In Menopause and Heart Disease the British Heart Foundation (BHF) note:

“Before the menopause, women in general have a lower risk of being affected by coronary heart disease. But after the menopause, your risk increases”.4

In Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease – Why Does Coronary Heart Disease Affect Women Differently? the (United States) National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) elaborate on:

  • “Hormone changes may affect a woman’s risk for coronary heart disease. Before menopause, the hormone estrogen provides women with some protection against heart disease. However, as women age, their risk for coronary heart disease increases. Taking hormones to relieve symptoms of menopause can further increase that risk”.5

Postmenopause

Is there an association between postmenopause and heart disease?

The JH explain:

“After menopause, risk factors for heart disease increase. These include:

  • High blood pressure
  • An increase in total cholesterol
  • An increase in LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol)
  • A decrease in HDL (‘good’ cholesterol)
  • An increase in blood fats, such as triglycerides”.6

Early Menopause

Is there an association between early menopause and heart disease?

Yes. According to the NHLBI:

Heart Disease and Menopause“Women who experience early menopause, especially after surgical removal of the uterus, are more likely to develop heart disease than women of the same age who have not yet experienced menopause”.7

Hormone Replacement Therapy Risk

Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease?

In Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? the BHF note:

“There’s also evidence that HRT can reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease, or of having a heart attack and stroke. This is because it replaces hormones in your body, which can help to protect your heart. Evidence shows that HRT should be started within 10 years of starting the menopause and before the age of 60. The earlier HRT is started, the more effective it is at protecting your heart and reducing your risk of coronary heart disease”.8

Cholesterol Levels

Is there an association between some types of HRT and cholesterol levels?

In Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? the BHF also note:

“It’s thought that HRT can have a positive effect on your cholesterol levels, however some types of HRT can increase your cholesterol levels. Talk to your doctor if you have high cholesterol”.9

Blood Clots and Stroke

Is there an association between HRT, blood clots and a stroke?

In Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? the BHF explain:

“HRT tablets can slightly increase your risk of blood clots and a stroke, but the risk is low for women under 60. Most women are prescribed HRT through the skin (such as HRT patches). If you’re worried about this, speak to your doctor about having HRT as a patch or gel instead”.10

Heart Disease Prevention

What are the most effective ways to prevent heart disease?

In The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks, published 20 February 2023, the author elaborates on:

“Research suggests the most effective ways to prevent heart disease include not smoking, being physically active, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, and keeping cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels under control”.11

Health Care Provider

What if I think I have heart disease or I have a family history of heart disease?

If you think you have heart disease or you have a family history of heart disease, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – How Do I Find Out If I Am Risk for Heart Disease? You and Your Doctor: A Heart Healthy Partnership the NHLBI also remind us:

“A crucial step in determining your risk is to see your doctor for a thorough checkup. Your doctor can be an important partner in helping you set and reach goals for heart health. But don’t wait for your doctor to mention heart disease or its risk factors. Many doctors don’t routinely bring up the subject with women patients. Here are some tips for establishing good, clear communication between you and your doctor:

  • Speak Up…
  • Keep Tabs on Treatment…
  • Be Open…
  • Keep It Simple…”.12

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Heart Disease and Menopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Heart Disease and Menopause?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. About Heart Disease In Women
  2. Alcohol
  3. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  4. BMS TV: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  5. Be A Force for Change. Know the Signs. Get Your Heart Checked. [Video]
  6. Cardiosmart.org
  7. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Heart Attack Warning Signs In Women
  8. Causes and Prevention of Heart Disease
  9. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Menopause and Heart Disease
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  11. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  12. Consumer Video and Podcast Series 2023: Premature and Early Menopause
  13. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  14. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2025 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Nutrition At Menopause and Why It Is Important
  15. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
  16. Coronary Heart Disease
  17. Coronary Heart Disease: What Is Coronary Heart Disease?
  18. Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease
  19. DASH Eating Plan
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  20. Diabetes and Heart Disease
  21. Diabetes: Your Heart and Diabetes
  22. Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences – Resources and Information: Quick Links – 1. Question Prompt List
  23. Empoweredtoserve.org [EmPOWERED To Serve]
  24. FAQs: Heart Health for Women
  25. Facts About Women and Heart Disease
  26. Family History
  27. February Is American Heart Month
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  28. Fitness
  29. Getting Serious About Heart Health: Risk Factors for Cholesterol
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  30. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  31. Healthy Diet
  32. Healthy Eating
  33. Healthy Lifestyle
  34. Healthy Living
  35. Heart Disease
  36. Heart Disease In Black Women
  37. Heart Disease In Hispanic Women
  38. Heart Disease In Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors
  39. Heart Disease and Stroke In Women
  40. Heart Disease, Family Health History, and Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Family Health History and Heart Disease
  41. Heart Disease: About Women and Heart Disease
  42. Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – Questions To Ask Your Doctor
  43. Heart Health After Menopause
  44. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Healthy Heart Habits
  45. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Women and Heart Disease
  46. Heart Health for Women [+ Video]
  47. Heart Palpitations
  48. Heart-Healthy Living
  49. Heart-To-Heart: Talking To Your Health Care Professional
  50. Herheart.org [Her Heart]
  51. How Estrogen Supports Heart Health
  52. How To Protect Heart Health At Menopause: 3 Experts Advise
  53. Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life
  54. Know Your Risk
  55. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause
  56. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Early and Premature Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Only Happens In Your 50s]
  57. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Menopause [+ Video: Menopause]
  58. Life’s Essential 8
  59. Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  60. Mayo Clinic Minute: Menopause and the Heart Connection [+ Video]
  61. Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video]
  62. Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Heart Rhythm Problems Need Attention [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  63. Menopause
  64. Menopause
    Menopause and Heart Disease
  65. Menopause Can Bring Increased Cholesterol Levels and Other Heart Risks. Here’s Why and What To Do About It
  66. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  67. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  68. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
  69. Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk
  70. Menopause and Heart Health Infographic
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  71. Menopause and Heart Health – 4 Tips for A Healthy Heart While Your Body Is Changing
  72. Menopause and Your Heart
  73. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
    Menopause and Heart Disease
  74. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024
  75. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  76. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
  77. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know
  78. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  79. Rethinking Menopausal Hormone Therapy: For Whom, What, When, and How Long?
  80. Q&A: Health Changes During Menopause Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Risk
  81. Smokefreewomen [United States]
  82. Taking It To Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease In Women [Video]
  83. The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks
  84. The Heart Truth
  85. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [September 2024]
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  86. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice
  87. The Women’s Health Initiative Trials: Clinical Messages
  88. Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart
  89. Tips for Women To Prevent Heart Disease
  90. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Cardiovascular Disease In Women
  91. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  92. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
  93. Webinars: Previous – Hormones and Stroke: An Update on Treatment and Risk
  94. What Is Menopause? [+ Video]
  95. Womenheart.org [WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease, United States]
  96. World Heart Day [29 September]
  97. World Menopause Day 2023
    World Menopause Day 2023
  98. World Menopause Day 2023: Patient Information Leaflet – Cardiovascular Disease: What Women Need To Know [Multiply Languages]
  99. World Menopause Day 2023 World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
  100. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health. Last Updated: 18 December 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 15 February 2025
  2. Heart Disease: About Heart Disease. 15 May 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/ Accessed: 15 February 2025
  3. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health. Last Updated: 18 December 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 15 February 2025
  4. Menopause and Heart Disease. Page Last Reviewed: October 2023. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/living-with-a-heart-condition/women-with-a-heart-condition/menopause-and-heart-disease Accessed: 15 February 2025
  5. Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease – Why Does Coronary Heart Disease Affect Women Differently? Last Updated: 27 December 2024. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-heart-disease/women#Why-does-coronary-heart-disease-affect-women-differently? Accessed: 15 February 2025
  6. What Is Menopause? The Menopause Transition – Postmenopause: Heart Health. Last Updated: 18 December 2024 | Last Reviewed: 31 October 2024. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 15 February 2025
  7. Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease – Why Does Coronary Heart Disease Affect Women Differently? Last Updated: 27 December 2024. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/coronary-heart-disease/women#Why-does-coronary-heart-disease-affect-women-differently? Accessed: 15 February 2025
  8. Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? Page Last Reviewed: October 2023. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/women-with-a-heart-condition/menopause-and-heart-disease Accessed: 15 February 2025
  9. Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? Page Last Reviewed: October 2023. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/women-with-a-heart-condition/menopause-and-heart-disease Accessed: 15 February 2025
  10. Menopause and Your Heart: HRT: Benefit or Risk To Your Heart? Page Last Reviewed: October 2023. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/women-with-a-heart-condition/menopause-and-heart-disease Accessed: 15 February 2025
  11. Williamson, L. The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks. 21 February 2023 https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/02/20/the-connection-between-menopause-and-cardiovascular-disease-risks Accessed: 15 February 2025
  12. Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – How Do I Find Out If I Am Risk for Heart Disease? You and Your Doctor: A Heart Healthy Partnership. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/heart-disease-not-just-men Accessed: 15 February 2025
Topic Last Updated: 15 February 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 15 February 2025

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