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A woman’s life goes through different stages, which can provide valuable opportunities to focus on heart health.
Pregnancy and the menopause, in particular, can alter a woman's cardiovascular risk profile and provide important insights for the years to come.
During pregnancy, certain complications may be a sign that should not be ignored. According to the ESC (European Society of Cardiology), gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes are associated with approximately double the risk of cardiovascular disease. For this reason, after hypertensive complications in pregnancy, the ESC recommends checking blood pressure every year.
It is also important to share this information with your doctor, even later down the line: it forms part of your medical history and can help to monitor your future risk.
The menopause, too, marks an important transition. Hormonal changes can, in fact, be accompanied by an increase in blood pressure, weight and blood lipid levels. The ESC reports that around 30 per cent of women develop high blood pressure within a year of the menopause. The drop in oestrogen is also linked to an increase in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), levels of which can rise after the age of 55.
Rather than alarm bells, these serve as little reminders to stop and check your values.
When it comes to looking after your heart, there are some good habits that are always worth following. Not smoking, staying active, managing your weight, eating a balanced diet and keeping an eye on your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels are just some of the steps that help protect your cardiovascular health throughout your life.
The thing that changes is the way in which these checks fit into each person’s circumstances: together with your doctor, these can be carried out, taking into account your age, family history, lifestyle and, in the case of women, specific factors such as pregnancy and the menopause.
Prevention can thus become truly tailored to individual needs.
