Many women think of menopause as mainly a reproductive milestone, but doctors are increasingly warning that it can also become a major heart health turning point. When menopause happens before age 40, known as premature menopause, the body loses estrogen earlier than expected, and that shift may quietly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent research published in JAMA Cardiology found that women with premature menopause face about a 40% higher lifetime risk of coronary heart disease compared to women who enter menopause later. That statistic is causing cardiologists to rethink how they assess women’s long-term heart health. Understanding the connection between premature menopause and heart disease could help women take action years before serious symptoms appear.
