Menopause Or Heart Trouble? Doctor Shares Warning Symptoms Women Often Miss

As women approach midlife, the transition into menopause often brings a host of physical and emotional changes, including hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue and mood swings are just a few of the commonly discussed symptoms. However, what’s often overlooked is how some of these symptoms, like palpitations, breathlessness, and chest discomfort, can closely mimic the signs of heart disease. This overlap makes it dangerously easy to attribute serious cardiac symptoms to hormonal fluctuations, delaying crucial medical attention when it’s needed the most.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women worldwide and the risk significantly increases after menopause due to declining estrogen levels. Yet many women dismiss early warning signs, thinking it’s “just menopause.” In conversation with The Daily Jagran, Dr. Sunil Dwivedi, Consultant - Cardiology, Manipal Hospital Millers Road, shares the warning symptoms of heart trouble that mimic the symptoms of menopause. Early recognition and proactive heart health monitoring can be lifesaving, especially during the hormonal turbulence of perimenopause and beyond.

When Menopause Symptoms Mimic Heart Trouble?

Symptoms like palpitations that begin and stop suddenly, associated with giddiness or low blood pressure, or require medications, suggest a need for caution, as they may indicate heart disease.

Similarly, shortness of breath triggered by exertion or lying down, especially when accompanied by leg swelling or body swelling, is most likely to be heart-related.

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For many menopausal women, fatigue can interfere with day-to-day activities; however, sometimes, this may also point to a cardiac origin. If these symptoms combine with chest pain, particularly pain triggered by predictable exertion and relieved by rest, heart disease is a strong possibility.

Warning Symptoms Of Heart Trouble (Image Credits: Canva)

The patient’s medical history is equally important to differentiate between menopausal symptoms versus heart-related issues. Those with hypertension, diabetes, a personal or family history of heart disease, or cholesterol issues should have these symptoms treated as cardiac until proven otherwise. Dr. Sunil Dwivedi cites, “For instance, a 48-year-old lady reported chest pain that lasted 2 days, which worsened with exertion and even at rest, which was followed by breathlessness and fatigue. Tests, including ECG, echocardiogram, and blood workup, showed a heart attack, which we managed with an angiogram and angioplasty.” “So, the key was to recognise that her discomfort was different from her typical menopausal symptoms,” added Dr. Sunil Dwivedi.

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Many perimenopausal women may have intermittent breathlessness, fatigue, shortness of breath, or pains that don’t interfere with daily life. However, heart-related symptoms feel different and more severe. Women need to distinguish whether the discomfort is unusual or worsening, unlike those that typically resolve, and go for further assessment when there is a suspicion of heart problems.