Menopause – Heart Disease

Transcript

Menopause and heart disease, what every woman should know. As a woman grows older and she develops menopause, certain hormonal changes occur in the body. One most important being a decline in estrogen production. Estrogen has been known to be beneficial in preventing heart disease. However, when estrogen levels decline, women are at higher risk of developing heart disease. Women are often an overlooked and underdiagnosed population in regards to heart disease. Women who approach menopause are going through many changes. One of the most significant changes is a decline in reproductive hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen has been known to be a very protective hormone against developing heart disease. As your levels of estrogen decline, you start to develop higher blood pressure and stiffer arteries. It is important to discuss with your cardiologists that when a menopause is approaching, what your risk of developing heart disease is and what to look forward to, to preventing menopause from having serious detrimental effects on your heart.