
ILOILO City – Women in midlife are facing a growing but often overlooked health threat — heart disease.
Once considered predominantly a male concern, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now catching up with women, especially after menopause, according to medical experts.
Speaking at the Philippine Heart Association – Philippine College of Cardiology (PHA-PCC) midyear convention in Iloilo City, Dr. Lourdes Ella Santos warned that the cardiovascular risk for women dramatically rises in the years leading up to menopause.
“There is a notable increase in cardiovascular risk after menopause,” Santos said. “By the time we hit menopause, the risk is already high due to hormonal changes.”
Data shared by Santos showed that before menopause, women experience heart attacks at a significantly lower rate than men, with a ratio of 1:40. However, this jumps to 1:3 after menopause, underscoring the significant role hormonal shifts play in heart health.
While cardiovascular disease is often associated with aging, Santos stressed that the process begins much earlier.
The transition phase — five to 10 years before menopause — marks the period when cholesterol levels rise, blood pressure fluctuates, and metabolic changes accelerate. This, coupled with genetic predisposition and poor lifestyle choices, makes women more vulnerable to heart conditions.
Santos urged women to take preventive measures before menopause sets in.
“By the time you hit menopause, we could not fully control all because our hormones or the lack of estrogen and progesterone will start to take over your body. While we still can control, you have to control,” she emphasized.
Her recommendations included quitting smoking, maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels, managing blood sugar, and staying physically active.
She also noted that in cases where additional risk factors like diabetes or hypertension are present, medical intervention may be necessary.
Meanwhile, PHA vice president Dr. Walid Amil pointed out that cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the country, with ischemic heart disease responsible for 19.9 percent of deaths in the first half of 2024.
He warned that more young people are now being diagnosed with heart conditions, some as early as their 20s, due to unhealthy lifestyles.
“Seeing your doctor and undergoing blood chem should be a regular thing, as in every six months or annually, once you hit 30,” he advised. “But when you have a genetic predisposition, a sit-down lifestyle, a foodie, a habitual smoker and drinker at 20-something, you need to regularly visit your doctor and be compliant with his prescription and advice.”/PN