Women know that menopause waits for them as they get older. Likely in or around your 50s, your menstrual periods cease, and your childbearing years come to an end. It can take some time to complete menopause, during which you may experience common symptoms like hot flashes.
This normal part of a woman’s life can also have wider implications for whole-body health and wellness. This includes potential impacts on your heart health. Did you know that menopause can affect your cardiovascular system and your heart?
At Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, located in Odessa, Texas, we’re here to keep you strong, healthy, and ready for the future as you go through menopause. In this blog, board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Mary Grace Bridges informs you about the connection between menopause and heart health, and what you can do to keep your risk of heart disease low.
Your menstrual cycle involves a monthly set of hormone shifts. Menopause involves larger hormone changes, which can significantly impact your whole-body health and wellness.
You’re probably familiar with some of the symptoms that women who are going through menopause commonly complain about. Hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, and mood swings often accompany this time in your life. Dealing with these symptoms often takes up a lot of time and energy for women approaching menopause. But these aren’t the only ways that hormonal changes impact you.
Going through menopause creates metabolic shifts that can stress your heart. You may develop high blood pressure or hypertension, or higher levels of cholesterol, as well as a slower metabolism that makes it easier to gain weight. You’re also more likely to see an increase in visceral fat, a type of weight gain that’s particularly challenging for your cardiovascular health.
Women in midlife statistically have a low risk of developing heart disease within the next 10 years. However, looking at whole-lifetime outcomes, it’s clear that midlife is the right time to focus your heart disease prevention efforts. Postmenopausal women may develop higher risks of heart attacks, stroke, or coronary artery disease as a result of body changes that occurred during menopause.
Focus on your heart health now. You may decide to switch to a heart-healthy diet in order to improve your cholesterol or to pursue weight loss through diet and exercise. The changes you make today impact your health and wellness as you enter the next chapters in your life.
It was once thought that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increased the risk of heart disease, but that’s been disproven. HRT can help with menopause symptoms, and can be safe even if you have a heightened heart disease risk. Consult with Dr. Bridges to determine if HRT is a good option for you.
Schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Bridges at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian basin to discuss your heart health risks, your menopause symptoms, and other concerns related to your current stage of life. Call now to book your appointment, or schedule with our online booking tool today.
