It is important to prevent heart disease in menopausal women, as hormone replacement therapy contributes to increased risk of the disease, says the American Heart Association. According to the Heart Institute of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, being overweight affects heart disease risks, as well as taking oral contraceptives, smoking and drinking alcohol. The American Heart Association recommends that a menopausal woman start with lifestyle changes and then explore prescription medications if her risk factors for developing heart disease are especially high.
Step 1
Quit smoking. The U.S. Surgeon General says that quitting smoking helps prevent many health problems, including heart disease.
Step 2
Start an exercise program including activities such as yoga, tai chi, water aerobics, weight training or walking. This will help you lose extra weight that can contribute to higher heart disease risk.
Step 3
Eat properly. Being overweight significantly increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke and getting clogged arteries. If you are overweight, correcting your diet will help you lose extra weight and reduce or prevent buildup in your blood vessels. It is never too late to start a healthy lifestyle. The American Diabetes Association has an excellent resource for delicious and healthy menus. The American Heart Association recommends adding heart-healthy fish, omega-3 fatty acid supplements and folic acid supplements to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Step 4
Ask your doctor about low-dose aspirin therapy. Aspirin has the effect of thinning the blood, which can ward off stroke and heart attack in high-risk women who are susceptible to heart disease. Aspirin can also affect your gastrointestinal tract, so follow your doctor's directions before taking aspirin long term.
Step 5
Ask your doctor about blood pressure medications if you have borderline or high blood pressure. Take your medicine as directed and check your blood pressure frequently while on medication.
Step 6
Ask your doctor about statins, which are cholesterol-lowering medications. Keeping your cholesterol numbers at a healthy level is important. As your diet improves, so should your cholesterol, meaning you may not have to take statins for a long period of time.
Step 7
Ask your doctor about beta blockers, which regulate the heart beat, lower blood pressure and reduce angina, or chest pains when your heart muscle isn't getting enough blood.
Tips and Warnings
- According to a National Institutes of Health study, the age at which a woman starts menstruating and the age when she goes into menopause make a big difference in her rates of heart disease: If she started menstruating early and went into menopause late, she is much more likely to experience heart disease in menopause.
- Hormone replacement therapy is not recommended for long-term use in most menopausal women. According to a study on the National Institutes of Health website, taking a combination of estrogen and progestin during or after menopause carries a significantly increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease in women who were healthy before they took the combination.
Things You'll Need
- Smoking cessation program
- Exercise program
- Heart-healthy diet
- Low-dose aspirin
- Blood pressure medication
- High cholesterol medication
- Beta blockers
