Menopause: why the risk of heart attack increases during the period – 03/23/2023 – Equilíbrio

Heart disease is the main cause of death for women worldwide, but there are still important barriers when diagnosing and treating it, warns a renowned cardiologist.

For physician Susan Connolly, a consultant at the University Hospital Galway, in Ireland, it is essential that women are aware of the risks of heart disease.

According to the specialist, the perception that heart problems mainly affect men must be eradicated.

The risk begins to increase due to hormonal changes during menopause, the time in life when a woman stops menstruating.

“Before menopause, the risk of heart disease in women is much lower than in men. But after menopause, [a probabilidade de sofrer com problemas no coração] matches quickly. It is believed that this happens due to the decrease of estrogen, a protective hormone”, explains the cardiologist.

Estrogens are a group of hormones that play a key role in female reproductive health, including puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

These substances are also important for heart, bone and brain health in men and women, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

For gynecologist Sandra McNeill, a specialist in cardiovascular diseases, it is important for women to be in the best possible state of health when they reach menopause.

This involves not smoking, controlling your weight, moderating your alcohol consumption, and exercising.

“Traditionally, it was thought that heart problems were only suffered by men. Unfortunately, this is not true. Women are even a little more protected until menopause by estrogen”, says the gynecologist.

However, once this phase of a woman’s life is reached and estrogen levels drop, the heart suffers – and, according to McNeill, heart problems in women even outnumber those suffered by men.

Due to the positive effect of estrogens, women generally develop heart disease 10 years later than men.

And, if menopause arrives before age 40, the risk of heart disease exceeds that seen in other women of the same age who have not yet entered this phase.

different symptoms

“We may not have the same symptoms of heart disease as men,” warns McNeill.

These “classic” signs of a heart attack and other conditions are usually chest tightness, arm pain, tingling and shortness of breath – which can also be experienced by women with heart disease.

But in them, these are not the only clues that something serious is happening in the heart. Women may also report nausea, fatigue, indigestion, anxiety and dizziness.

“Women tend to come forward later [ao hospital] because they don’t realize they’re having a heart attack and don’t see themselves as being at risk,” argues Connolly.

Recognizing and treating a heart attack quickly increases the chances of survival.

Women are often not diagnosed as quickly as men.

They are also more likely to suffer from certain heart conditions that are more difficult to detect, such as coronary microvascular disease, broken heart syndrome or variant angina, explains the US National Library of Medicine.

A delay in diagnosis can lead to a longer delay in care – which can make treatment more difficult and facilitate chest complications.

“Heart disease is the biggest killer of women in the world,” says Connolly.

“Women die twice as a result of heart disease than breast cancer. Therefore, it is crucial that everyone is aware of the risk, which begins to increase in menopause”, completes the cardiologist.

In addition to taking care of physical and mental health, women who want to protect their heart are also advised to keep an eye on cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

*Reporting by Marie-Louise Connolly and Catherine Smyth of BBC News Northern Ireland.

This text was originally published here