It is the leading cause of death in women over 45 years of age.
menopause This is one of the stages of life that women fear most. In addition to hot flashes, insomnia, mood changes, vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse, there is an added risk of cardiovascular disease.
At the age of 45-50, women are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases than men. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among them starting at this age.
In this World Menopause Daywhich is celebrated this Friday, October 18th, Dr. Leticia Fernandez-Frieracardiologist of the Women’s Heart Movement and founder of the ATRIA clinic, debunks the false myth about heart pathologies.
“It is not true that men have a higher cardiovascular risk than women. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death among them (26.17%), even higher than any type of cancer,” he explains “Health Guides”.
Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms in women who have already gone through menopause, a time when the risk of heart disease increases. / FERRAN NADEU
In addition, the death rate from a first heart attack is 20% higher in women than in men. Diseases affecting the heart, such as stroke, claim the life of a woman every 6 minutes in Europe and every 60 seconds in the United States.
These are “impressive numbers, especially when you know an even more impressive fact: about 80% of these deaths could have been prevented“.
Why women who have heart attacks are diagnosed later
Patients underestimate the symptoms of cardiovascular diseases in women.
“What happens is that there is a very significant difference: they take longer to seek medical help than men due to lack of recognition of symptoms, lack of risk perception and barriers to self-care for women,” the specialist emphasizes to the publication.
They tend to be more tolerant of pain or interpret it differently, which often causes them to delay consultation. In fact, it is known that women take on average 30 minutes longer to get to the hospital when they have a heart attack.
Moreover, “because heart attacks have traditionally been considered a man’s disease, there is a lack of awareness both generally and in health care settings that a woman can suffer from a heart attack, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment, leading to poorer outcomes.” .
Women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men / Freepik
Be aware of cardiovascular diseases in women
Early and surgically induced menopause, such as total hysterectomy, or occurring naturally, is an established risk factor for increased cardiovascular risk. Therefore, “this is something that cardiologists, gynecologists or primary care physicians should themselves identify in an interview conducted with any woman when assessing her cardiovascular risk as an increasing factor.”
Menopause and cardiovascular risk: how to take care of your heart
The doctor emphasizes the importance of “offering multidisciplinary care to women at this stage of their lives to manage specific cardiovascular risk factors.”
The approach should be aimed at promotion of an active and healthy lifestyle which, in turn, is combined with effective treatment if necessary. You should eat a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat, flour and sugar.
“It is also very important to exercise regularly; control stress using various relaxation techniques; avoid toxins such as alcohol and tobacco; and ensuring adequate rest to help maintain heart health during this phase.”
Care also includes “periodic check-ups with a cardiologist to learn the condition of our heart and arteries and identify any risk factors anticipate symptoms and prevent diseases, as well as heart attack or stroke.
Thrombosis is the third cause of cardiovascular mortality after heart attack and stroke /AdobeStock
Tests to assess the risk of cardiovascular pathology during menopause
European guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease recommend that women first have their heart checked at the age of 45–50 years, that is, as they approach menopause.
The doctor clarifies that depending on the results, individual observation will be established.
In this sense, “the existence of specialized units in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases“.
Specific tests carried out in specialized units include:
- Map cardiovascular health and risk algorithms defined by the American, European and Spanish Societies of Cardiology.
- 2D and 3D vascular ultrasound, which allows for a comprehensive examination of the arterial wall, measuring the thickness of its layers and detecting both the presence of plaques and aneurysms even before the appearance of associated symptoms. This “helps us better assess risk and provide a more personalized approach to each patient.” It is a simple test that does not emit radiation and provides valuable information to improve risk stratification in women, which is often inaccurate according to traditional risk scores.