OMRON Healthcare has released a new Women’s Heart Health Factbook, drawing attention to the critical intersection between menopause, hypertension, and long-term cardiovascular risk. This release comes as International Women’s Day renews focus on women’s health issues.
Globally, an estimated 32% of women aged 30 to 79 live with hypertension, yet only 59% are diagnosed, and a mere 23% manage to achieve effective blood pressure control. This statistic underscores the significant number of hypertensive women who do not stabilize their blood pressure, highlighting a major health care gap.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, with ischemic heart disease and stroke being predominant. The risk of these conditions often intensifies during and after menopause due to declining estrogen levels, which impact vascular health and blood pressure regulation.
Additional life-stage factors, such as pregnancy-related hypertension and hormonal contraceptive use, further influence cardiovascular outcomes, emphasizing the need for consistent health monitoring throughout a woman's life.
Prof. Alta Schutte, Principal Theme Lead of Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine at UNSW Sydney, noted that cardiovascular disease is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in women due to longstanding biases in research and clinical guidelines. She emphasized that menopause represents both a major life transition and a critical point for cardiovascular health.
Karel Herberigs, Managing Director of OMRON Healthcare EMEA, stressed the importance of greater awareness and routine monitoring to close the persistent care gap and support earlier interventions.
Archanna Mohangoo, Medical Marketing Manager (EMEA), pointed out that symptoms often attributed solely to menopause, such as fatigue, disrupted sleep, or heart palpitations, may indicate underlying conditions like hypertension or atrial fibrillation. These conditions significantly increase the risk of stroke and heart disease if left undetected.
The Women’s Heart Health Factbook aims to encourage both women and healthcare providers to pay closer attention to cardiovascular health during menopause. The full factbook is available for download, offering insights into prevention and early detection strategies across the lifespan.
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