The Menopause Transition: A Critical Window for Cardiovascular Prevention

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, yet the menopause transition—a critical period when cardiovascular risk accelerates—remains an underrecognized opportunity for prevention. The menopause transition is associated with central fat accumulation, insulin resistance, atherogenic lipid changes, and increased blood pressure—all of which contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis. Women with premature menopause face particularly heightened cardiovascular risk.  Dr. Lily Dastmalchi and Dr. Emily Lau discuss how clinicians can identify at-risk women through comprehensive cardiovascular risk stratification, including assessment of traditional risk factors and female-specific risk enhancers such as premature menopause and adverse pregnancy outcomes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.