The Silent Heart Risk Women Cannot Afford to Ignore By Joy Wisdom (Menopause Dame)
Davina McCall's latest health revelation highlights the hidden cardiovascular risks facing women during and beyond menopause.
Davina McCall, 59, has revealed another serious health concern this week, cardiovascular disease. For many women, this will come as a shock, particularly following her brain tumour surgery in 2024 and breast cancer diagnosis in 2025.
Her courage in speaking openly about these experiences deserves recognition. But her latest announcement also shines a spotlight on a major women's health issue that has remained under-recognised for far too long.
Cardiovascular disease is not simply a man's disease.
It is one of the greatest health threats facing women.
Particularly as they move through menopause and into later life.
This news resonates deeply with me.
Two years ago, at the age of 74, I experienced sudden left ventricular heart failure. It came out of the blue, an unexpected and frightening experience that brought home just how vulnerable cardiovascular health can become.
The warning signs I experienced…
Looking back, there were warning signs that I had not immediately recognised as symptoms of heart failure. I became increasingly short of breath climbing stairs, then experienced breathlessness even while sitting and resting. There was a tightening sensation in my chest and, at times, a frightening feeling that I was drowning, struggling to get enough air. Fluid retention, I ballooned, an important warning sign noticeable swelling around my ankles. Not simply symptoms of getting older. They were signals that my heart was struggling to function effectively. Signs, I didn’t recognise.
I was surprised I didn’t have a chest infection or virus after all. Shocked to realise I was suddenly faced with left ventricular heart failure a stark reminder that serious cardiovascular problems can develop when least expected.
I share this experience because women need to recognise that heart failure does not announce itself through dramatic chest pain. Breathlessness, fatigue, fluid retention and swelling can be equally important warning signs that deserve prompt medical investigation. Having worked in women's health for over 25 years, I understand the importance of recognising the biological changes taking place throughout a woman's life. Yet experiencing a serious heart condition myself brought another dimension to that understanding. One of the reasons I feel so strongly about sharing my experience, raising awareness of symptoms and encouraging women to become more informed about their cardiovascular health and menopause living impacts.
The Changing Biological Landscape After Perimenopause
Most women don’t realise, by the end of perimenopause, a woman's body has undergone profound biological and hormonal transitions. A significant body unit change. Each woman enters her menopausal years with a different hormonal and biochemical landscape, a large majority of protective functions gone. A perimenopause ‘result of’ or outcome’ where a body unit may struggle to support fully. Body decline, via perimenopause shutdown, becomes more noticeable. Women are susceptible to live with more health risks, long-term effects, from significant absence hormonal production, as hormones previously supported many essential functions throughout the body, including cardiovascular health. With this hormonal protection diminished, women can become more vulnerable to conditions such as high blood pressure, changes in cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
Although menopause is not the sole cause of heart disease, the lasting hormonal changes following perimenopause can contribute to health risks that were previously moderated, in part, by oestrogen's protective effects.
Menopause is not simply the end of perimenopause, it is the beginning of living
with its biological consequences. Women enter their later decades, (I term this phase ‘Elder’ menopause) or the outcomes of menopause state, with a profoundly altered hormonal landscape and reduced hormonal protection,
which can increase vulnerability to cardiovascular disease and other long-term health conditions.
The menopause connection women cannot ignore
‘Result of ‘ moth into butterfly continues after perimenopause, throughout menopause and into elder years. Women may live longer these days, however they may live in poorer health, without awareness and education.
During perimenopause and menopause, declining Oestrogen levels influence far more than reproductive health. Oestrogen plays an important role in cardiovascular function, including blood vessel health, cholesterol regulation and metabolic processes. As hormone levels decline, women may experience changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat distribution and other cardiovascular risk factors. However, menopause is not the sole cause of cardiovascular disease. Age, genetics, diabetes, smoking, existing medical conditions and lifestyle also contribute.
The message is clear: menopause is not simply the end of menstrual cycles. It marks an important biological transition with implications for long-term health, that needs to be taken seriously.
The statistics should concern every woman
According to the British Heart Foundation, more than 4 million women in the UK are living with cardiovascular disease. Even more alarming, coronary heart disease kills more than twice as many women in the UK each year as breast cancer.
Yet how many women are routinely encouraged to consider their cardiovascular health as part of their menopause and postmenopausal care?
How many recognise the warning signs?
And how many understand that heart problems do not present as the dramatic chest pain commonly associate with a heart attack?
Symptoms can include breathlessness, unusual fatigue, chest discomfort, nausea, dizziness or pain extending into the jaw, back or arms. These symptoms can affect men too, but women may not recognise them as possible cardiac warning signs.
Prevention, preparation and protection
I remain deeply concerned about the gaps in women's health education, preventative care and timely investigation. Cardiovascular risk deserves greater attention throughout midlife, not simply after a major health event. Women need access to appropriate blood pressure and cholesterol checks, cardiovascular risk assessments and clear information about symptoms that require medical attention.
My approach to women's health is to consider the whole person, body, mind and emotions while recognising the importance of hormonal, metabolic and other biological influences. Prevention begins with knowledge, and knowledge gives women the confidence to ask questions and seek appropriate support. Don't guess test. Don't dismiss investigate.
Why I wrote Menoproof Your Life Through the Decades
Davina's announcement is another powerful reminder of why I have spent years developing my forthcoming book, Menoproof Your Life Through the Decades.
Women's health does not begin at menopause, and it certainly does not end there.
From the teenage years through the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and into elder life, our bodies are continually adapting. What happens in earlier decades can naturally influence health in later years.
My book explores these changes, the warning signs that deserve attention and the importance of prevention, preparation and protection throughout life.
I also share my own experiences, including my unexpected heart health crisis, to help women recognise why understanding their changing bodies matters.
We cannot prevent every illness. But we can improve awareness, identify risks earlier and empower women to take a more informed role in protecting their health.
I applaud Davina for bringing another important conversation into the public arena.
My hope is that her story encourages women everywhere to ask more questions, take symptoms seriously and recognise that cardiovascular health must become a central part of women's health education.
Our hearts deserve as much attention as our hormones. Our later years deserve as much care as our reproductive years.
And above all, women deserve to be informed, listened to and supported throughout every decade of life.
Coming soon: Menoproof Your Life Through the Decades
Prevent – Prepare – Protect.
Joy Wisdom | Menopause DAME | Author, Women's Health Practitioner & Founder of Joy Wisdom Trust, D.A.R.E Body-Mind-Emotion Therapy.
Comments