‘I’m a doctor – reason your hot flashes could be sign of silent killer’
Peri-menopause: Hot Flushes could be linked to heart disease
Most research suggests hot flashes occur when decreased oestrogen levels cause the body’s thermostat to become more sensitive to slight changes in body temperature.
But according to menopause expert Dr Ashley Alexis, hot flashes could be telling you something deeper.
On her TikTok channel Menopausedoctor she explained: “Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and guess what, its incidence spikes after menopause.
“But how does menopause, especially those hot flashes known as vasomotor symptoms or VMS correlate with heart risks? That’s what researchers wanted to find out.”
Citing a study, Dr Alexis said scientists tracked midlife women for 13 years to uncover the link between menopausal symptoms and heart disease indicators.
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They closely monitored their menopausal symptoms, took blood samples, and even measured a specific thickness in their carotid artery.
Dr Alexis explained that thickness is called the carotid intima media thickness or IMT and said this “is a big time indicator” of heart disease risk.
She continued: “Here is what they discovered. Some women had low menopausal symptoms throughout.
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@menopausedoctor Your hot flashes might be more than just a symptom, they could telling you something deeper. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women? And guess what? Its incidence spikes after menopause. But how does menopause, especially those hot flashes known as Vasomotor Symptoms (or VMS), correlate with heart risks? That’s what researchers wanted to find out. Scientists tracked midlife women for 13 years to uncover the link between menopausal symptoms and heart disease indicators! They closely monitored their menopausal symptoms, took blood samples, and even measured a specific thickness in their carotid artery. Why that? Because that thickness, called the carotid intima media thickness or IMT, is a big-time indicator of heart disease risk. Here’s what they discovered: Some women had low menopausal symptoms throughout. Others had high symptoms all the time. Some began with symptoms early and saw them reduce after menopause. And a few started experiencing symptoms mainly after menopause. But the real game-changer? Women who had those hot flashes and night sweats early on showed a thicker IMT than those who had low symptoms consistently. This thickness wasn’t just because of usual heart disease factors or demographics. This might mean they’re at a higher risk for heart disease. So, here’s the big takeaway: If you, or someone you know, began experiencing menopausal symptoms early on, it might not just be an annoyance—it could be a signal. A signal to pay closer attention to heart health. #menopause #menopausedoctor #perimenopause ♬ original sound – Dr. Alexis ND, ♀️Hormones
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“Others had high symptoms all the time. Some began with symptoms early and saw them reduce after menopause, and a few started experiencing symptoms mainly after menopause.
“But the real game changer – women who had those hot flashes and night sweats early on showed a thicker IMT than those who had had low symptoms consistently.
“This thickness wasn’t just because of usual heart disease factors or demographics. This might mean that they’re at a higher risk for heart disease.”
Dr Alexis concluded if you or someone you know began experiencing menopausal symptoms early on, while it might just be an annoyance, it could be a signal. “A signal to pay closer attention to heart health,” she said.
The most common symptoms of coronary heart disease to note are chest pain and breathlessness.
The NHS advises eating a healthy, balanced diet, being more physically active and keeping to a healthy weight to prevent heart disease.
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