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What Menopause Means for Your Heart Health
Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, accounting for about 1 in every 5 female deaths? Yet heart disease can develop without obvious symptoms, which makes knowing your personal risk important.(CDC)
When women think about menopause, heart health may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Hot flashes, sleep changes, weight changes, and irregular periods tend to get more attention. But menopause can affect your heart health too.
With World Heart Day on September 29th and National Women’s Health & Fitness Day on September 30th, we want to talk about what women should know about their heart health during midlife.
What Changes During Menopause?
Estrogen plays a role in the health of your heart and blood vessels. As estrogen declines, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and where your body stores fat can change.
Some of these changes can start during perimenopause.
That doesn't mean menopause causes heart disease. Your age, family history, lifestyle, and health history all matter. But menopause is a good time to start paying closer attention to your heart health if you haven't already.
Your cholesterol may change. Your blood pressure may creep up. Your body may become less responsive to insulin. You may also notice more weight around your midsection.
And you may not feel any of it happening.
Do You Know Your Numbers?
Heart disease doesn't always come with an obvious warning sign. Some of the changes women notice during midlife can be easy to blame on stress, getting older, or menopause itself.
According to Dr. Sonal Chandra, Cardiologist and Founder of Focus Cardiology:
“Heart disease in women can be a silent killer, creating subtle changes in energy, exercise tolerance, sleep, blood pressure, metabolism, and overall well-being that are often dismissed as aging or stress.
More women are now asking better questions, seeking preventive care earlier, and recognizing cardiovascular health as an essential part of navigating midlife well. It is a privilege to help women understand their risk, protect their health, and remain active participants in how they age.”
So, what should you know?
Start with your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Know your family history too, especially if heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes runs in your family.
Your regular cholesterol panel is a good starting point, but it may not answer every question.
For some women, a doctor may recommend additional testing. ApoB can provide more information about the cholesterol particles that can contribute to plaque in the arteries. Lp(a) is another important risk factor that is mostly determined by genetics.
The new 2026 cholesterol guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology are a helpful resource for learning more about these tests and understanding what you may want to discuss with your doctor.
One notable update is Lp(a). The new guidelines recommend that every adult have it measured at least once. They also discuss when ApoB testing or a coronary artery calcium scan may provide useful information.
You don't need to walk into your next appointment knowing what every test means or which ones you need. But knowing that these tests exist can help you ask better questions.
Movement and Your Heart
National Women's Health & Fitness Day falls on September 30th, one day after World Heart Day.
Physical activity is one of the things we can do to support heart health as we age, and it doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym.
Walking counts. Strength training counts. Swimming and cycling count.
If you haven't been active in a while, start where you are. And if you have health concerns or aren't sure what type of exercise is appropriate for you, talk with your healthcare provider.
We'll Be Talking About Heart Health at Our Retreat
Heart health is one of the topics we'll be covering at the Chicago Menopause Collective retreat on October 24th.
Our clinician panel will talk about how menopause can affect heart health, which numbers women should know, and what those numbers mean.
We'll also be talking about hormone therapy and breast cancer, metabolic health, and other questions women have during perimenopause and menopause.
Attendees can also visit our Menopause Marketplace Expo, featuring vetted products, services, and resources for women in midlife.
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