“After age 55,
more than half of all the deaths in women
are caused by cardiovascular disease”.1
Umbrella
What may the Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Cardiovascular Conditions
- Cardiovascular Disease/s (CVD/CVDs)
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Diseases/Disorders of the Heart and Blood Vessels
- Diseases/Disorders of the Heart and Circulatory System
- Heart Disease/s
- Heart and Circulatory Disease
- Stroke
Cardiovascular Disease
What is cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
DotS the definition of CVD may vary. In Cardiovascular Heart Disease the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) definition is:
Cardiovascular Diseases
What are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)?
DotS the definition of CVDs may vary. In Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs): What Are Cardiovascular Diseases? the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition is:
- Coronary heart disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle
- Cerebrovascular disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain
- Peripheral arterial disease – a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
- Rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria
- Congenital heart disease – birth defects that affect the normal development and functioning of the heart caused by malformations of the heart structure from birth; and
- Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs”.3
Before Menopause
Before menopause, do women have a lower risk of CVD than men?
The (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) note:
“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”.4
After Menopause
After menopause can women have an increased risk of CVD?
The North American Menopause Society explain:
“Although many women think of heart disease as a man’s disease, the number one killer of women in North America is cardiovascular disease, that is, diseases of the heart and circulatory system. After age 55, more than half of all the deaths in women are caused by cardiovascular disease. Risk for this disease increases after menopause. Be sure to talk to your healthcare team about what your risks are and how you can reduce them”.5
CVD Risk Factors
What are CVD risk factors?
In Cardiovascular Heart Disease: What Increases My Risk of Cardiovascular Heart Disease? the BHF elaborate on:
There are several risk factors for CVD, including:
- Smoking
- Stress
- Alcohol
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Being physically inactive
- Being overweight or obese
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart disease
- Ethnic background
- Sex – men are more likely to get CVD earlier than women
- Age – the older you are, the more likely you are to get CVD”.6
CVD Risk Factors Postmenopause
What are CVD risk factors postmenopause?
In What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health the JH note:
- 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
Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
Is there an association between menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) i.e., hot flushes and night sweats and CVD?
In Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Pooled Analysis of Six Prospective Studies – Conclusion the authors conclude:
“Severity rather than frequency of VMS (hot flushes and night sweats) was associated with increased risk of CVD. VMS with onset before or after menopause were also associated with increased risk of CVD”.8
Prevention
Is CVD preventable?
In 8 Things You Can Do To Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke the American Heart Association explain and elaborate on:
- “Know your risk…
- Eat a healthy diet…
- Be physically active…
- Watch your weight…
- Live tobacco-free…
- Manage conditions…
- Take your medicine…
- Be a team player…”.9
In What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health the JH note:
For example:
- Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
- Do regular exercise
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Don’t smoke
- Limit alcohol intake”.10
Know Your Numbers
What numbers do women (and men) need to know?
In Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life the (United States) Go Red for Women elaborate on:
Heart Check
What may a heart check include?
In What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health the JH also note:
WISEWOMAN Program
What is the WISEWOMAN program?
Your Country may have a program similar to the (United States) WISEWOMAN Program. In WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What Is the WISEWOMAN Program? the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) elaborate on:
What services does the WISEWOMAN program fund?
The CDC explain:
Health Care Provider
What if I think I have CVD or I have a family history of CVD?
If you think you have CVD or you have a family history of CVD, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this
On page seven in Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Go Red for Women elaborate on:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics related to Cardiovascular Disease?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Cardiovascular Disease?
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
- February Is American Heart Month
- Improving Heart Health At Midlife and Beyond Could Lower Future Risk of Stroke, Dementia
- Livetothebeat.org
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Taking It To Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease In Women
- The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks
- Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart [20 February 2023]
- About Heart Disease In Women
- About Stroke
- Alcohol
- Aspirin Use To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- CVS Health Screenings
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)
- Cardiovascular Health After Menopause Transition, Pregnancy Disorders, and Other Gynaecologic Conditions: A Consensus Document From European Cardiologists, Gynaecologists, and Endocrinologists
- Cardiovascular Health
- Cardiovascular Health: Risks & Causes
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Diabetes and Heart Disease
- Doctor Appointments: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Don’t Buy Into Dietary Supplements for Heart Health
- Dr Gail Busby – I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – Episode 9 The Menopause
- EMAS Menopause Essentials
- Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences
- February Is American Heart Month
- Get Familiar With Signs of A Heart Attack or Stroke
- Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
- Healthy Lifestyle
- Healthy Lifestyle
- Healthy Living
- Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms: Warnings Signs of Heart Attack, Stroke & Cardiac Arrest
- Heart Disease In African-American Women
- Heart Disease In Hispanic Women
- Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men – Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Heart Health After Menopause
- Heart Health Information In Your Language
- Heart Health Information In Your Language: Healthy Heart Habits [Multiply Languages]
- Heart Health Information In Your Language: Women and Heart Disease [Multiply Languages]
- Help! I’m Too Tired To Exercise
- Herheart.org
- Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Hot Flushes and Night Sweats Linked To 70 Per Cent Increase In Cardiovascular Disease
- How Menopause Impacts Your Health
- How To Prevent Heart Disease After Menopause
- Improving Heart Health At Midlife and Beyond Could Lower Future Risk of Stroke, Dementia
- Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life
- Know Your Risk [+ Video: Give Yourself One Less Thing To Worry About]
- KnowDiabetesbyHeart
Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health
- Life’s Essential 8
- Listen To Your Heart: Learn About Heart Disease – Women and Heart Disease
- Livetothebeat.org
- Making Mayo’s Recipes: Two Days’ Worth of Heart-Healthy Menus
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Signs of Coronary Artery Disease, How To Reduce Your Risk [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Don’t Miss A Beat With Preventive Heart Care [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Understanding the Connection Between Diabetes and Heart Disease [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause and Heart Disease
- Menopause and Heart Disease
- Menopause and Your Heart
- Million Hearts
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Preventing Cardiovascular Disease
- Rethinking Menopausal Hormone Therapy: For Whom, What, When, and How Long?
- Risk Factors
- Smokefreewomen [United States]
- Staying Active
- Staying Healthy During and After Menopause
- Stress and Heart Health
- Stroke
- Stroke
- Stroke Symptoms
- Taking It To Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease In Women
- The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks
- The Heart Truth [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, United States]
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Tips To Keep Stress From Hurting Your Heart [20 February 2023]
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Video Series-2021: How Clinicians Determine Which Women May Benefit From Statin Therapy
- Video Series-2021: What You Need to Know About the #1 Cause of Death in Women
- WISEWOMAN: WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Want To Live Longer? Exercise Is Key, Study Confirms
- Warning Signs of Heart Attack and Stroke In Women
- Webinars: Previous – The Heart of the Matter
- What Is A Stroke?
- What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
- What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
- Women’s Wellness: Understand Heart Disease Symptoms and Risk Factors Unique To Women
- World Heart Day 2022 [19 September 2022]
- World Stroke Day [29 October 2022]
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Menopause FAQs: Your Health After Menopause – Q. Do I Have To Start Worrying About Heart Disease? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-your-health-after-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Cardiovascular Heart Disease. Page Last Reviewed: October 2019. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiovascular-heart-disease Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs): What Are Cardiovascular Diseases? 11 June 2021. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds) Accessed: 21 January 2023
- What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Menopause FAQs: Your Health After Menopause – Q. Do I Have To Start Worrying About Heart Disease? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-your-health-after-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Cardiovascular Heart Disease: What Increases My Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases? Page Last Reviewed: October 2019. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiovascular-heart-disease Accessed: 21 January 2023
- What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Zhu, D., Chung, H-F., Dobson, A. J., El Khoudary, S. E., Crawford, S., Mishra, G. D. eta al. Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Pooled Analysis of Six Prospective Studies – Conclusion. 22 June 2020. https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(20)30664-5/pdf Accessed: 21 January 2023
- 8 Things You Can Do To Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. Last Reviewed: 14 March 2019. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/prevent-heart-disease-and-stroke Accessed: 21 January 2023
- What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life. Go Red for Women https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/know-your-numbers Accessed: 21 January 2023
- What Is Menopause? Postmenopause – Heart Health. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 21 January 2023
- WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What Is the WISEWOMAN Program? Page Last Reviewed: 09 December 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/faqs.htm Accessed: 21 January 2023
- WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What Services Does the WISEWOMAN Program Fund? Page Last Reviewed: 09 December 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/faqs.htm Accessed: 21 January 2023
- Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Last Reviewed: 27 July 2021. Go Red for Women https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/menopause/menopause-and-cardiovascular-risk Accessed: 21 January 2023