Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease

Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease

“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart
disease than men. After menopause, and as women age,
their risk of heart disease increases”.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 Disease the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) definition is:

“Cardiovascular disease (CVD), also called heart and circulatory disease, is the general name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia”.2

CVD vs Breast Cancer Deaths

Does CVD really claim more lives than breast cancer?

In Leading Health Groups Redefine Heart Health for Girls and Women, dated 26 October 2026, the American Heart Association include:

“According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more than 400,000 lives in the U.S. each year – more than breast cancer, lung cancer and chronic lung disease combined. Yet only about 4 in 10 (41%) women recognize it as their greatest health threat”.3

After Menopause

After menopause can women have an increased risk of CVD?

In Heart Health: Cardiovascular Disease the (United States) Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society) explain:

“The risk for CVD in women increases with age such as it does in men, but the increase starts a little later in women. Most CVD in women occurs during the years after menopause. Cholesterol levels have been found to increase in the early years after menopause. Of note, premature menopause is an established risk factor for CVD”.4

Risk Factors

What are risk factors for heart disease after menopause?

In Menopause: Health After Menopause – Heart Health After Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:

“Before menopause, women have a lower risk of heart disease than men. After menopause, and as women age, their risk of heart disease increases.

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
  • Weight gain and body fat around the belly.

Women who experience moderate to severe hot flushes and night sweats may have an increased risk of heart disease”.5

In Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Does Menopause Increase A Woman’s Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke? the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women elaborate on:

“Cardiovascular risk factors that every woman should know about include:

  • Age at the time of menopause. Women who reach menopause before age 45 have a significantly higher risk of coronary heart disease…
  • The cause and timing of menopause. Menopause caused by surgical removal of both ovaries at an early age can lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease…
  • Estrogen. Levels of estrogen, which helps keep blood vessels relaxed and open, start to decline markedly as menopause approaches…
  • Hot flashes and night sweats. Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common menopause-related symptoms and can last up to 10 years….
  • Depression and sleep problems. In some studies, depression and sleep disturbances were linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
  • Increased visceral fat. This type of fat, in the abdominal cavity near vital organs, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  • Cholesterol levels and metabolic syndrome risk. These cardiovascular risk factors appear to increase with menopause beyond the effects of normal aging…”.6

Prevention

How may CVD be prevented?

In Prevention: What Can You Do To Lower Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease the World Heart Federation explain and elaborate on:

  • “Eat a healthy and balanced diet…
  • Avoid tobacco use…
  • Maintain a healthy body weight…
  • Exercise regularly…
  • Take your medication as prescribed…
  • Manage stress…
  • Avoid alcohol…
  • Know the warning signs…”.7

Know Your Numbers

What numbers do women (and men) need to know?

In Know Your Numbers It Could Just Save Your Life the (United States) Go Red for Women elaborate on:

“It is vital for all women to understand their personal risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Knowing your risk starts with knowing four important health numbers — total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body mass index. Having these numbers in check and at healthy levels can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Talk to your health care provider today about your numbers, what they mean, and how you can manage them. Your heart and well-being depend on it”.8

WISEWOMAN Program

What is the (United States) WISEWOMAN program?

Your Country may have a program similar to the 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:

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) WISEWOMAN program is at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to achieve optimal cardiovascular health for persons 35-64 years old. The program focuses on women who are uninsured, underinsured, or have lower incomes”.9 

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

In Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Go Red for Women note:

“Talk to your health care team about your risk factors and how to prevent cardiovascular disease before, during and after menopause”.10 

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Menopause and 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

  1. 4 Reasons To See A Cardiologist
  2. A Female-Specific Life Course Approach to the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  3. ACOG Expands Recommendations for Management of Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  4. ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
  5. All About Menopause – Live Q&A
  6. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  7. Cardiovascular Disease
    Menopause nad Cardiovascular Disease
  8. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Heart Attack Warning Signs In Women
  9. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)
  10. Cardiovascular Health In Girls and Women Across the Lifespan
  11. Chrisandra Shufelt, MD, on Cardiovascular Prevention At Menopause
  12. Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopause Symptoms
  13. Complementary Medicines and Therapies for Hot Flushes
  14. Complementary Medicines and Therapies: Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  15. Consensus Guidance for the Female-Specific Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  16. Diabetes
  17. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Sleep Disturbances In Menopause
  18. Find A Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  19. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  20. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  21. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, American Heart Association United States]Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  22. HRT Questions Answered
  23. Healthy Menopause: EMAS 2026 Framework for Precision, Digital, and Interdisciplinary Midlife Health
    Menopause News August 2026
  24. Heart Disease: Preventing Heart Disease
  25. Heart Health
  26. Heart Health and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
  27. Heart Health for Women [+ Videos]
  28. Heart Health for Women [+ Videos]: Download Heart Health for Women Fact Sheet In Other Languages
  29. Heart Palpitations
  30. Heart-Health and Cholesterol In Menopause
  31. Herheart.org
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): A Summary
  33. How Can Early Menopause Affect My Health?
  34. How Healthy Is Your Heart? Take This Quiz To Find Out
  35. International Menopause Society (IMS) Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause
  36. Know Your Numbers
  37. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause [Other Languages and Formats]
  38. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Early and Premature Menopause [Other Languages and Formats]
  39. Life’s Essential 8
  40. Leading Health Groups Redefine Heart Health for Girls and Women
  41. Looking After Yourself Around the Time of Menopause
  42. Making Surgical Menopause Matter [6 Videos]
  43. Matthew Nudy, MD, on Estrogen and the Cardiovascular System
  44. Mayo Clinic Minute: Are You Getting Enough Sleep for Your Best Heart Health? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  45. Mayo Clinic Minute: Know the Risk Factors To Prevent Stroke
  46. Mayo Clinic Minute: Menopause and the Heart Connection [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  47. Mayo Clinic Q&A: How Menopause Affects Heart, Brain and Bone Health
  48. Menopausal Symptom Treatments
  49. Menopause
  50. Menopause
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  51. Menopause Awareness And Insights
  52. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  53. Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease and Using HRT To Treat Menopause Symptoms
  54. Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk
  55. Menopause and Heart Health Infographic
  56. Menopause and Women’s Health
  57. Menopause and Your Heart
  58. Menopause: How To Talk To Your Doctor
  59. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  60. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  61. Million Hearts
  62. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  63. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
  64. National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week 2026 [18-24 October 2026]
  65. Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
  66. New ACOG Menopause Guidelines 2026: What’s Changing, What Matters & What You Need to Know
  67. Online Events International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – Evaluating High-Risk Patients In Menopause At Risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
  68. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: Lifestyle Medicine
  69. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2026: New IMS Recommendations: Evidence-Based Management of Vasomotor Symptoms
  70. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2026: New IMS Recommendations – Lifestyle, Diet, Exercise
  71. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2026: New IMS Recommendations – Midlife Body Changes
  72. Perimenopause
  73. Perimenopause
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  74. Postmenopause
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  75. Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
  76. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
  77. Postmenopause
  78. Prevention
  79. Resources: Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
  80. Risk Factors
  81. Staying Healthy During and After Menopause
  82. Stroke
  83. Supplements: What Works, What Doesn’t and the Truth About Menowashing
  84. The Heart Truth [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, United States]
  85. The Menopause Society Show: Menopause & Cardiovascular Health
  86. The Menopause Society Show: Menopause & Weight Gain
  87. Twenty-Year Cardiovascular Disease Incidence In Menopausal Women: Insights From the ATTICA Study
  88. (Video) Heart Disease In Women: 4 Things A Mayo Clinic Cardiologist Wants You To Know [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  89. WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  90. Webinar: Early Menopause
  91. What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  92. What Is the Difference Between Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause?
  93. Why Heart Disease In Women Is Still Being Missed
  94. Why Perimenopause May Be the Best Time To Act on Heart Disease Risk
  95. Women & CVD
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  96. Womenheart.org [WomenHeart, United States]
  97. Women’s Heart Health: What We’re Missing and Why It Matters | WHAM Roundtable
  98. World Heart Day [29 September]
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  99. World Menopause Day 2025
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease
  100. World Stroke Day [29 October]
    Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Menopause: Health After Menopause – Heart Health After Menopause. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/#section-health-after-menopause Accessed: 28 October 2026
  2. Cardiovascular Disease. Page Updated: 01 December 2024. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiovascular-heart-disease Accessed: 28 October 2026
  3. Leading Health Groups Redefine Heart Health for Girls and Women. 26 October 2026 https://newsroom.heart.org/news/leading-health-groups-redefine-heart-health-for-girls-and-women Accessed: 28 October 2026
  4. Heart Health: Cardiovascular Disease. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/heart-health Accessed: 28 October 2026
  5. Menopause: Health After Menopause – Heart Health After Menopause. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/#section-health-after-menopause Accessed: 28 October 2026
  6. Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Does Menopause Increase A Woman’s Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke? Last Reviewed: 12 September 2024. Go Red for Women https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/menopause/menopause-and-cardiovascular-risk Accessed: 28 October 2026
  7. Prevention: What Can You Do To Lower Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. World Heart Federation https://world-heart-federation.org/heart-health/prevention/ Accessed: 28 October 2026
  8. Know Your Numbers It Could Just Save Your Life. Go Red for Women https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/know-your-numbers Accessed: 28 October 2026
  9. WISEWOMAN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What Is the WISEWOMAN Program? 15 May 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/php/faqs/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/faqs.htm Accessed: 28 October 2026
  10. Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Last Reviewed: 12 September 2024. Go Red for Women https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/menopause/menopause-and-cardiovascular-risk Accessed: 28 October 2026
Topic Last Updated: 06 November 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 28 October 2026

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
/by
Copyright © 2011 – 2026 Meno Martha®. All Rights Reserved. | The information provided on  Meno Martha, Meno Martha International Menopause Directory and/or menomartha.com is for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for or replace the medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of your qualified health care providers. | By using this service you accept Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Terms of Use which incorporate Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy. | Meno Martha® is a registered Trademark | Meno Martha International Menopause Directory® is a registered Trademark.
Meno Martha and/or Meno Martha International Menopause Directory do not sell, produce or endorse any products, services or content of any kind including pills or potions for ‘menopause symptom relief’. Please Contact Us if you see or receive any advertisements allegedly by, for or on behalf of Meno Martha and/or Meno Martha International Menopause Directory.