Increased Heart Disease Risk
Alongside weight gain, stress, sleep deprivation, fluctuating hormones, and the other symptoms, what you have to worry about most is the increased risk of developing heart disease, a common killer of women in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, an increase in heart attacks is seen in women about 10 years post-menopause. This is often due to the change in hormone balance, but it can result from a combination of things, including poor diet and lack of exercise.
Remember, some of the symptoms of perimenopause also mimic heart disease, such as palpitations during night sweats, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Never assume that these are just from hormonal changes, especially if your family history includes deaths from heart attack or people who have suffered from cardiovascular diseases.
Before, during, and after perimenopause, one of the best ways to lower your risk of developing heart disease is to stay as active as possible. The more you exercise, the lower the risk of cardiovascular problems becomes.
Some symptoms that you should always be wary of include sudden, intense chest pain; pressure in the chest, shoulders, or neck; aching pain that radiates throughout the upper body and sometimes into the jaw; shortness of breath; and the sensation of heart burn. These could be signs that you are having a heart attack and need to get to the local emergency room as soon as possible.
