Menopause refers to the end of a woman's menstrual cycle. The ovaries stop producing hormones after this point and it marks the end of fertility. This transition usually begins between ages 45 and 55. It’s a normal process that goes along with aging, and isn’t a disease or disorder.

Hormones play a critical role in the body’s everyday functions. Since menopause involves a drastic change in hormone production, it can cause multiple symptoms including: irregular periods, hot flashes, and weight changes. The exact signs and symptoms vary among different women.

What are the stages of menopause?

Menopause isn’t something that happens overnight; rather it happens over time and can be broken down into three different stages. 

The first is peri-menopause, also known as the months or years leading up to menopause. This is the stage where some symptoms start to appear. However, it may still be possible to get pregnant while experiencing peri-menopause.

Next is menopause, which occurs when someone’s periods stop completely. The average age for this phase is 51 years. 

The third and final phase is post-menopause. Once a woman hasn’t had her period for more than 12 months in a row, she is considered in post-menopause for the rest of her life.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure refers to the pressure created when blood flows through the arteries. It is defined by two numbers, which are the systolic (the higher number) and diastolic (the lower number) levels. A reading of 130/80 or higher is defined as high blood pressure or hypertension.

To read more about the different stages of high blood pressure, read the HealthTap article here. 

If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to fatal complications such as heart attack or stroke. It’s a common myth that men are more likely to be affected by high blood pressure. However, according to the American Heart Association, women represent almost 52% of deaths from high blood pressure [1].

While not directly related to gender, a woman’s chances of developing high blood pressure increase throughout life due to factors such as birth control, pregnancy, and menopause [1].

How does menopause affect blood pressure?

It’s difficult to establish a direct link between menopause and high blood pressure. This is because an important risk factor for hypertension is increasing age, and since menopause occurs in older women, the timeline of both processes overlap.

According to Harvard Health, the risk of developing high blood pressure increases the longer a person lives [2]. Naturally, this also means that post-menopausal women are at increased risk of high blood pressure.

70% of women have hypertension by the time they reach their sixties and seventies. After 75, that number rises to nearly 80%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Several mechanisms have been proposed on how menopause may cause high blood pressure. One mechanism involves estrogen working on blood vessels to maintain proper blood flow. Estrogen also helps keep cholesterol levels lower before menopause. Higher cholesterol levels can lead to blockages in the arteries, which may ultimately contribute to high blood pressure [3].

Since estrogen levels decrease after menopause, this could lead to narrowing and hardening of vessels. These stiff vessels aren’t elastic enough, and thus may cause high blood pressure.

According to one study [4], those who have experienced menopause are more sensitive to salt than those who haven't. Excess salt leads to the body retaining more water, which results in high blood pressure.

This might be another reason why post-menopausal women are more likely to have high blood pressure.

Menopause might prevent early recognition of hypertension

According to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), hypertension symptoms in women are often mistaken for menopause [5].

According to the press release, around 50% of women develop high blood pressure before the age of 60, however symptoms such as palpitations and hot flashes are often attributed to menopause.

The authors commented that high blood pressure is more likely to be diagnosed as hypertension in men. While in women it is often mostly misattributed to ‘menopausal symptoms’ or ‘stress’.

The authors suggest that physicians take more care in terms of regularly monitoring blood pressure in women, and trying to diagnose high blood pressure as soon as possible.

Since those who face high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to have hypertension later on, it’s especially important to keep monitoring their blood pressure.

How to control high blood pressure in menopause

Read HealthTap’s detailed article on different ways to lower blood pressure. However, to quickly recap, here are a few of them:

1. Maintain a healthy weight

Having a healthy weight not only helps with keeping blood pressure in control, but also contributes to normal functioning of the heart. An active lifestyle also helps prevent other diseases from developing, and leads to better health overall.

2. Reduce salt intake

High salt intake has been directly linked to increased blood pressure and an increased risk of kidney disease [6]. By avoiding foods high in salt and processed foods, a person may improve their blood pressure.

3. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol

Habits such as cigarette smoking and binge-drinking can worsen high blood pressure. Reducing the amount of alcohol a person drinks and cutting down on smoking can help keep blood pressure under control.

4. Medications

If one’s blood pressure does not improve with lifestyle changes, doctors usually recommend medications to treat high blood pressure.

It’s best to consult a physician if someone is experiencing high blood pressure. The physician can make recommendations for how to treat high blood pressure, including lifestyle modifications and medications if needed.

Why is it important to detect and treat high blood pressure?

When to visit a doctor

Sometimes the symptoms of menopause and high blood pressure overlap, and it’s best to consult a doctor to have high blood pressure and/or symptoms of menopause diagnosed.

However, it can be difficult to schedule an appointment and travel to a doctor’s office. HealthTap allows you to consult a primary care physician from the comfort of your home.

Visit HealthTap to talk to a primary care doctor who can diagnose high blood pressure and come up with an individualized treatment plan.