What if your hot flashes are actually warning signs about your cardiovascular health? Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with research cardiologist Dr. Jayne Morgan to talk about the intersection of menopause and heart disease. Dr. Morgan explains why women present with different heart attack symptoms than men, how menopause accelerates cardiovascular risk, and why the medical system still isn't recognizing the connection. You'll learn what hot flashes reveal about stroke and heart disease risk, how arterial stiffening and blood pressure changes happen during the menopause transition, and why hormone therapy started early may be protective for your heart. Dr. Morgan shares which lab tests women should be getting, when to start screening for cardiovascular disease, and what lifestyle changes actually make a difference. She also discusses the role of statins, GLP-1s, and why research done primarily on men has led to treatments that may harm women. This conversation covers what every woman needs to know about protecting her heart through midlife and beyond.

Guest links:

Dr. Jayne Morgan (Instagram)

Dr. Jayne Morgan (YouTube)

Dr. Jayne Morgan (TikTok)

Healthy Her Series (AIB Network)

Jayne Morgan, MD (LinkedIn)

Articles

Improving Cardiovascular Clinical Competencies for the Menopausal Transition: A Focus on Cardiometabolic Health in Midlife (JACC Advances)

Beta-blockers did not reduce cardiovascular events in selected heart attack patients in the REBOOT trial (European Society of Cardiology)

Guidelines in Action: New Considerations for Primary Prevention of Stroke Related to Premature and Early Menopause (Stroke/American Heart Association)

Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by Hysterectomy Status, With and Without Oophorectomy: The Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (Circulation/American Heart Association)

Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (Circulation/American Heart Association)

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