Heart and bone disease risks rise with menopause

WOMEN in their 40s and 50s should prioritize strengthening their overall health as they transition to their later years, according to a medical expert.

The risk for heart and bone disease rises after menopause, or the stage when a woman’s menstruation ceases, said Annebelle D. Aherrera, an obstetrician-gynecologist.

“Osteoporosis [a disease that weakens one’s bones] is the single most important health hazard for women past menopause,” Ms. Aherrera said at a Nov. 20 event by Pro Age Beauty, a company that provides wellness products for perimenopausal and menopausal women.

The female hormone estrogen, which helps prevent bones from getting weaker by slowing their natural breakdown, decreases during menopause.

Estrogen, Ms. Aherrera said, also has a protective effect on the heart, which is why the risk for a heart attack or stroke increases when its levels fall.

Women would benefit from intensifying cardiovascular prevention efforts in the years leading up to menopause, also said JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“That stage of life is a window of opportunity for making lifestyle changes,” she said in a February 2023 post by the American Heart Association.

The most effective ways to prevent heart disease include physical activity, a healthy diet, a healthy weight, good sleep, and smoking cessation. It also involves keeping one’s cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels under control.

Conversations surrounding menopause should be normalized, according to Pro Age Beauty founder Claudine F. Viquiera.

Ms. Viquiera said that — despite growing up in a household with nine daughters — menopause wasn’t discussed like menarche (the onset of menses) was.

The company’s social media communities and products were created specifically for women in this demographic, she said at the Nov. 20 event.

Have a better perspective about aging, Ms. Aherrera told the event audience.

This, she said, includes accepting each and every life stage as normal.

“Remain active, create positive life changes, and cultivate better relationships,” she added. — Patricia B. Mirasol