Are there any medical risks of menopause?

The complications of menopause need to be treated because of the risks they pose for women’s health. Based on current recommendations, it is important to prevent some conditions that can affect quality of life.

In women, cardiovascular complications are more common post-menopause. Until then, women have additional hormonal protection and are better protected from stroke than men are. With menopause, cardiovascular risk becomes as high in women as in men. Similar numbers of myocardial infarctions and stroke are seen in both groups. These complications are connected to the following issues:

• high blood pressure (HBP)
• type-2 diabetes
• obesity, defined as BMI > 30
• waist > 88 cm (35 inches)
• smoking
• elevated cholesterol, triglycerides or other blood lipids (dyslipidemia), stimulating plaque build-up in the artery walls (atherosclerosis)
• sedentary lifestyle, characterized by a lack of physical activity
• specific features during pregnancy, including early delivery, high blood pressure, diabetes, delayed growth of baby, placental abruption
• a specific genetic coagulation abnormality, called “Factor V Leiden”
• history of deep vein thrombosis

Sleep-related complications are also common and have direct consequences for both quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep also affects the day’s activities, cognition and mental health, including risks of absenteeism from work and depression. The complications to watch for include:

• obesity (BMI > 30), causing an increased risk of sleep apnea
• chronic insomnia, leading to chronic fatigue, depression or a mood disorder
• sleep apnea, bringing with it an increased risk of cardiovascular complications

Mental health challenges are common and the result of both hormonal changes and how they affect the body. These challenges may also lead to a whole host of complications, including:

• irritability
• short-term memory problems
• difficulty concentrating
• worsening ADD/ADHD, for women who have it
• a mood disorder, sometimes accompanied by anxiety and depression
• “brain fog”, which can result in a sharp drop in self-esteem
• increased stress
• decreased libido

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause, which includes urinary and vaginal complications, is the cause of symptoms often reported by women. These may include urinary urgency (sometimes frequent), urine leakage, vulvar itchiness and pain during intercourse. Complications may vary. Recognizing them is crucial, since some of the symptoms can be mistaken for an STI:

• recurrent urinary tract infections
• reduced libido
• pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)
• uterine and/or ovarian cancers should be screened for, based on personal/family history and in line with medical recommendations, since the risks of their occurrence are higher in this age bracket
• postmenopausal bleeding and discharge should be investigated, looking for disease (STI, infection, cancer)

As it says in the medical recommendations, it is important that women stay healthy, even after menopause. Doing so can reduce menopause’s negative impact on and complications for quality of life. Do the following things, bearing in mind that women gain an average 10 kg between ages 40 and 60 anyway, regardless of menopause:

• stop smoking or vaping
• limit alcohol consumption
• exercise regularly, for at least 150 minutes a week
• make sure your diet meets recommendations
• avoid excessive weight gain or the weight loss of aging, aiming for healthy body muscle/fat composition