Early menopause, hot flashes and heart attacks: what you need to know
Heart attacks and strokes claim more than 1 in 5 women’s lives: early menopause and hot flashes increase your risk. Here’s what you need to know.
If you have early (between 40 and 44) or premature menopause (before 40), you’re likely to have worse and longer-lasting menopausal symptoms. You’re also at increased risk not only for cardiovascular disease but for other diseases too, including dementia, bone loss and fractures, and an increased risk of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Rates of depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma and stroke are all higher in women with premature menopause. Together, these can contribute to a reduced quality of life and a lower life expectancy.
Disturbing as this list of consequences may be, the truth is that there is much you can do to overcome these risks. It’s essential to learn as much as you can about menopause from a source you can trust. With that knowledge, you can ensure you get the best care and make appropriate lifestyle changes.
Both earlier menopause and hot flashes are associated with more cardiovascular disease.
If you have early menopause, you have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
It’s a sobering fact that more than 1 in 5 women die from cardiovascular disease. Early or premature menopause increases the risk further. Your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease increases by 19% if you have early menopause and 48% with premature menopause (POI).
The reasons why early menopause and POI are associated with increased cardiovascular disease and higher death rates are debated. A longer time with low estrogen levels is undoubtedly a factor, but it has also been proposed that earlier spontaneous menopause may reflect not only more rapid reproductive ageing but perhaps a more general speeded-up ageing process.
Various factors may be responsible for the link between early menopause and heart attacks:
- Estrogen protects against cardiovascular disease. At menopause, you lose this protection.
- Early menopause is associated with an abnormal lipid profile (such as higher ‘bad’ cholesterol)
- There’s a higher incidence of obesity in women who have earlier menopause
- Diabetes rates are higher with earlier menopause. If you have early menopause (between 40 and 44), you’re 12% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. With premature menopause (before 40), you’re 53% more likely.
- Smokers are more likely to have early menopause
- High blood pressure can lead to both earlier menopause and cardiovascular disease
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If you have hot flashes and night sweats, you’re more likely to develop cardiovascular disease
Hot flashes, earlier menopause and cardiovascular disease are all interrelated. With earlier menopause, you’re more likely to have more frequent, more severe and longer-lasting hot flashes. And, if you suffer from hot flashes, you’re at a 28% higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Some, but not all of this may be related to other factors. For example, smokers are 60% more likely to have hot flashes. They’re also more common if you’re overweight. And, of course, both smoking and being overweight are associated with cardiovascular disease.
What can you do?
Your risk of cardiovascular disease skyrockets from menopause as you lose estrogen’s protection. Having early menopause and being affected by hot flashes and night sweats increase the risk further.
It’s vital that you take care of your heart, and there’s lots you can do to reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Here are our top 10 recommendations to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. If you’d like to read more, check out the NewYork Times article 7 Habits for a Healthy Heart.
- Stop smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight and trim waist
- Eat a healthy diet such as a Mediterranean or DASH diet
- Exercise regularly – 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. We’ve got some exercise tips for you.
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Keep your blood pressure within a healthy range (below 120/80)
- Have your cholesterol checked, and keep it within a healthy range
- Get your blood glucose checked and take action if it’s raised
- Address any symptoms of depression
- Talk to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy
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