Heart Disease and Menopause

Heart Disease and Menopause

“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart
disease than men. But, as women age and their
oestrogen levels fall, their risk of heart disease increases”.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

Early Menopause

Is there an association between early menopause and heart disease?

Yes. According to the (United States) National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (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”.3

Menopause

Heart Disease and MenopauseHeart Disease and MenopauseIs there an association between 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”.4

In Menopause and Your Heart: Does Menopause Increase the Risk of Heart Disease? last updated 25 August 2025, the (Australian) Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute note:

“Women tend to develop heart disease later in life than men – largely because they have been protected by the hormone oestrogen, which also plays a crucial role in reproduction.

But, during menopause, which most commonly happens to women aged between 45 and 55, the body starts to produce less of this hormone. Oestrogen helps to relax and dilate blood vessels, reduce inflammation, and improve cholesterol profiles.

The decrease in oestrogen levels, which occurs during menopause, can contribute to a higher risk of heart disease”.5

In Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease – Why Does Coronary Heart Disease Affect Women Differently? the 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”.6

Postmenopause

Is there an association between postmenopause and heart disease?

The JH explain:

“After menopause, you may be more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease, including:

  • 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”.7

Hormone Replacement Therapy

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

In Menopause and Your Heart: Can Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Reduce the Risk of Developing Heart Disease? the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute note:

“Some studies have suggested that HRT may have a protective effect by reducing the risk of coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. However, other studies have shown that HRT can increase the rates of breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots. Therefore, HRT is not typically prescribed for protective effects against heart disease, but rather, is reserved for women with severe or refractory peri-menopausal symptoms. Therefore, the decision to use HRT should be made after a thorough discussion with a healthcare provider, as it comes with its own risks and benefits”.8

HRT + Heart Disease

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

In Menopause and Your Heart: Is HRT Safe To Take If I Have Heart Disease? the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute explain:

“The safety of HRT varies from person to person, depending on factors such as age, the type and duration of HRT, and the presence of other risk factors for heart disease, like smoking, obesity, or a family history of heart problems.

It’s essential to consult with your doctor, preferably a cardiologist, to discuss the potential risks and benefits of HRT in your situation”.9 

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 includes:

“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”.10

In Menopause and Your Heart: What Can You Do To Lessen Your Risk of Developing Heart Disease During Menopause? the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute elaborate on:

“It’s important for women going through menopause to take proactive steps to maintain and improve their heart health, including:

  • Regular exercise…
  • Following a heart-healthy diet
  • Monitoring cholesterol levels
  • Managing blood pressure
  • A healthy weight
  • Cease smoking
  • Cut back on alcohol
  • Try to get a good night’s sleep”.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.

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

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New or Updated

  1. 4 Reasons To See A Cardiologist
  2. About Heart Disease In Women
  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. Can You Take Hormone Replacement Therapy If You Have Heart Disease?
  7. Cardiosmart.org
  8. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Heart Attack Warning Signs In Women
  9. Causes and Prevention of Heart Disease
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Menopause and Heart Disease
  11. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
  12. Coronary Heart Disease
  13. Coronary Heart Disease: What Is Coronary Heart Disease?
  14. Coronary Heart Disease: Women and Heart Disease
  15. DASH Eating Plan
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  16. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  17. Diabetes and Heart Disease
  18. Diabetes: Your Heart and Diabetes
  19. Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences – Resources and Information: Quick Links – 1. Question Prompt List
  20. Empoweredtoserve.org [EmPOWERED To Serve]
  21. FAQs: Heart Health for Women
  22. Facts About Women and Heart Disease
  23. Family History
  24. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  25. Find A Practitioner [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  26. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  27. Fitness
  28. Getting Serious About Heart Health
  29. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, American Heart Association United States]Heart Disease and Menopause Heart Disease and Menopause
  30. Healthy Diet
  31. Healthy Eating
  32. Healthy Lifestyle
  33. Healthy Living
  34. Heart Disease
  35. Heart Disease In Black Women
  36. Heart Disease In Hispanic Women
  37. Heart Disease In Women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors
  38. Heart Disease, Family Health History, and Familial Hypercholesterolemia
  39. Heart Disease: About Women and Heart Disease
  40. Heart Disease: Preventing Heart Disease
  41. Heart Disease: What Every Woman Needs To Know
  42. Heart Health After Menopause
  43. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Healthy Heart Habits
  44. Heart Health Information In Your Language: Women and Heart Disease
  45. Heart Health and Cardiovascular Disease
  46. Heart Health and Cholesterol In Menopause
  47. Heart Health for Women [+ Videos]
  48. Heart Health for Women [+ Videos]: Download Heart Health for Women Fact Sheet In Other Languages
  49. Heart Palpitations
  50. Heart-Healthy Living
  51. Heart-To-Heart: Talking To Your Health Care Professional
  52. Herheart.org [Her Heart]
  53. High Blood Pressure and Women
  54. How Estrogen Supports Heart Health
  55. How Healthy Is Your Heart? Take This Quiz To Find Out
  56. How To Protect Heart Health At Menopause: 3 Experts Advise
  57. Know Your Numbers It Could Just Save Your Life
  58. Know Your Risk
  59. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause
  60. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Early and Premature Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Only Happens In Your 50s]
  61. Life’s Essential 8
  62. Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  63. Mayo Clinic Minute: Menopause and the Heart Connection [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  64. Menopause
  65. Menopause
  66. Menopause Can Bring Increased Cholesterol Levels and Other Heart Risks. Here’s Why and What To Do About It
  67. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  68. Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk
  69. Menopause and Heart Health Infographic
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  70. Menopause and Your Heart
  71. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  72. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
    Menopause and Heart Disease
  73. Menopause: Your Choice of Language
  74. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
  75. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know
  76. Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  77. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  78. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – Evaluating High-Risk Patients In Menopause At Risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
  79. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – What Is Sleep, What Is Menopause and How Do They Interact?
  80. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: Lifestyle Medicine
  81. Q&A: Health Changes During Menopause Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Risk
  82. Resources: Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
  83. The Heart Truth
  84. The Women’s Health Initiative Trials: Clinical Messages
  85. Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart
  86. Video: Hormone Therapy Protects Bone, Heart, Brain Health During Menopause
  87. (Video) Heart Disease In Women: 4 Things A Mayo Clinic Cardiologist Wants You To Know [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  88. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  89. Webinar: Early Menopause
  90. What Is the Difference Between Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause?
  91. Why Heart Disease In Women Is Still Being Missed
  92. Womenheart.org [WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease, United States]
  93. Women’s Heart Health: What We’re Missing and Why It Matters | WHAM Roundtable
  94. World Heart Day [29 September]
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  95. World Menopause Day 2023
    Heart Disease and Menopause
  96. World Menopause Day 2025
    Heart Disease and Menopause

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Perimenopause and Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health After Menopause. Last Updated: 28 August 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  2. Heart Disease: About Heart Disease. 15 May 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/ Accessed: 01 February 2026
  3. 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: 01 February 2026
  4. What Is Perimenopause and Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health After Menopause. Last Updated: 28 August 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  5. Menopause and Your Heart: Does Menopause Increase the Risk of Heart Disease? Last Updated: 20 August 2025. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heart-disease/menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  6. 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: 01 February 2026
  7. What Is Perimenopause and Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Postmenopause: Heart Health After Menopause. Last Updated: 28 August 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  8. Menopause and Your Heart: Can Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Reduce the Risk of Developing Heart Disease? Last Updated: 20 August 2025. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heart-disease/menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  9. Menopause and Your Heart: Is HRT Safe To Take If I Have Heart Disease? Last Updated: 20 August 2025. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heart-disease/menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
  10. 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: 01 February 2026
  11. Menopause and Your Heart: What Can You Do To Lessen Your Risk of Developing Heart Disease During Menopause Last Updated: 20 August 2025. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heart-disease/menopause Accessed: 01 February 2026
Topic Last Updated: 25 February 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 01 February 2026

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