- International Women’s Day: Why Menopause May Be a Missed Cardiovascular Risk Window
As International Women’s Day prompts renewed focus on women’s health, OMRON Healthcare has released a new Women’s Heart Health Factbook spotlighting an often-overlooked issue: the intersection between menopause, hypertension, and long-term cardiovascular risk.
An estimated 32% of women aged 30-79 worldwide are living with hypertension. Yet only 59% are diagnosed, and just 23% achieve effective blood pressure control. That equates to less than a quarter of hypertensive women managing to stabilise their blood pressure.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women globally, with ischemic heart disease and stroke accounting for the majority of cases. Risk often accelerates during and after menopause, as declining estrogen levels affect vascular health and blood pressure regulation.
Women also face additional life-stage factors that may influence cardiovascular outcomes, including pregnancy-related hypertension and hormonal contraceptive use, underscoring the importance of consistent monitoring across the lifespan.
Expert perspective
“Despite being the leading cause of death for women globally, cardiovascular disease is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in women due to longstanding biases in research, clinical guidelines and symptom recognition,” said Prof. Alta Schutte, Principal Theme Lead of Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW Sydney, Australia.
“Menopause is not only a major life transition – it is also a cardiovascular turning point,” added Karel Herberigs, Managing Director, OMRON Healthcare EMEA. “Greater awareness and routine monitoring can help close a persistent care gap and support earlier intervention.”
Archanna Mohangoo, Medical Marketing Manager (EMEA), said: “Too often, symptoms such as fatigue, disrupted sleep, or heart palpitations are attributed solely to menopause, when they may in some cases signal underlying conditions such as hypertension or atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can significantly increase stroke and heart disease risk if left undetected. This Factbook aims to encourage women and healthcare providers alike to look more closely at cardiovascular health during this stage of life.”
Potential coverage angles
– The global hypertension care gap in women
– Menopause as a cardiovascular risk inflection point
– Why blood pressure monitoring should remain a priority beyond reproductive years
– The under-recognised burden of heart disease in women
– Prevention and early detection strategies across the lifespan
The Women’s Heart Health Factbook is available to download: https://brandportal.healthcare.omron.com/share/365D593E-78F0-4F35-9C8A589508CB5951/
Interviews, expert commentary, or additional data:
omronhealthcare-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp