Introduction to Menopause and Heart Health
Less than a minute into Lara Shayne’s daily workout a few years ago, she couldn’t catch her breath. “I felt like an elephant was on my chest and I couldn’t breathe,” the North Center resident recalled. Shayne, then 53, drove to urgent care, where a physician assistant advised she go to an emergency room after they performed an electrocardiogram to test heart function. A CT scan later revealed Shayne’s diagnosis: an 80% blockage of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, a major supplier of blood to that side of the heart. After a night in the hospital, she had an angioplasty procedure to unblock the artery and a stent implanted to keep it open. If not caught in time, she would have had a heart attack.
The Increased Risk of Heart Disease in Menopausal Women
Now 56, Shayne experienced her cardiac event a year after starting menopause, a life stage 6,000 U.S. women reach daily and when cardiovascular disease risks such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke can accelerate in women. Though menopause doesn’t cause heart disease, dropping estrogen levels cause bodily changes that impact cardiovascular health, according to the American Heart Association. But despite the increased risk, many women aren’t aware of the risk, and many doctors don’t discuss it.
The Prevalence of Heart Disease in Women
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S. — and Chicago. Of the more than 4,600 deaths from the disease citywide, 42% are women, according to the latest data from the Chicago Health Atlas. And for women who hit menopause before age 40, considered premature menopause, experts say there is a greater risk of developing coronary heart disease. Across Illinois, nearly 45% of the 25,630 people who die from heart disease are women, and 11% are in the 40-to-64 age range, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) 2023 statistics show.
Understanding Menopause and Its Effects on Heart Health
How Does Menopause Affect Heart Health?
Menopause is when a woman goes one year without a period, representing a natural end of her reproductive years. Although the average menopause age for U.S. women is 51, estrogen levels begin decreasing earlier in the transitional years called perimenopause. During this phase, periods become irregular. Sleep disturbances, hot flashes, and night sweats may also appear, symptoms associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, American Heart Association data show.
Risk Factors and Prevention
Dr. Priya Freaney, a cardiologist at Northwestern University, said women face greater risk factors for heart disease around the time of menopause as the body’s natural estrogen declines and drives worsening health trends. Total cholesterol and LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) increases as HDL (“good” cholesterol) decreases, blood pressure rises, body fat mass goes up as muscle mass declines, vascular — or blood vessel — health worsens as arteries stiffen, and sleep quality declines, she explained. Lifestyle changes can lower these risks. In the years leading up to menopause, consistent cardiovascular exercise and strength training, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are key.
Managing Menopause and Heart Health
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