TL;DR
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Cardiologist Roy Jogiya says women should seek medical assessment for new chest discomfort, breathlessness during familiar activities, or persistent or irregular heartbeats during menopause. These symptoms can have several causes; urgent symptoms such as chest pain with breathlessness or faintness require emergency care. The source report offers guidance, not new research establishing that menopause caused any individual symptom.
A Fit&Well report quotes cardiologist Dr Roy Jogiya identifying new chest discomfort, unusual breathlessness and persistent or irregular palpitations as symptoms women should not automatically attribute to menopause. The advice matters because some symptoms can signal a heart problem, although the report does not establish that menopause is the cause of symptoms in any particular person.
Jogiya, identified by Fit&Well as chief medical advisor at Heart Research UK, says hormonal changes during menopause can occur alongside changes in cardiovascular risk. He says falling estrogen levels may be associated with higher LDL cholesterol, increased blood pressure, more abdominal fat and insulin resistance. He also notes that aging contributes, making it difficult to assign changes to menopause alone.
The three symptoms he highlights are new chest pressure or discomfort, becoming breathless during ordinary tasks or familiar exercise, and a racing or irregular heartbeat that persists. Chest-related warning signs in women can also include nausea, sweating, unusual fatigue, or discomfort in the jaw, back or upper abdomen, according to Jogiya. He cautions that heart-related discomfort may feel like indigestion rather than the severe pain many people expect.
Jogiya says palpitations are common during menopause and are often harmless. Hormonal fluctuations, poor sleep, anxiety and hot flashes can make the heartbeat more noticeable, he says. But palpitations accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, faintness or fainting warrant prompt assessment. A clinician may use an electrocardiogram or a portable heart monitor to check for a rhythm problem.
Recognizing Symptoms Beyond Hot Flashes
The advice highlights a potential risk of writing off new symptoms as hormonal. Menopause can coincide with changes in blood pressure, cholesterol and metabolism, while heart symptoms may not match familiar descriptions. Recognizing that possibility can prompt someone to seek assessment rather than wait for symptoms to become severe.
Jogiya says risk is higher for women with factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking history, obesity or a strong family history of early heart disease. He also flags premature menopause and certain pregnancy complications—including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and pregnancy-related hypertension—as cardiovascular risk markers. These are reasons to discuss individual risk with a health professional, not proof that a person has heart disease.
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Menopause and Cardiovascular Risk
The report frames menopause as a time when women may want to review heart-health prevention, rather than as a diagnosis or direct explanation for every new symptom. Jogiya says estrogen has roles in blood-vessel health and cholesterol regulation, and that levels fall during menopause. He emphasizes that related changes develop gradually and aging is another influence.
For prevention, he recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, adding strength training, eating a diet that includes vegetables, whole grains, nuts and olive oil while limiting saturated fat and salt, and checking blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. The report presents these as his recommendations; it does not provide evidence that they prevent a specific outcome for every individual.
“Menopause isn’t just a reproductive milestone; it’s a cardiovascular one, too.”
— Dr Roy Jogiya, cardiologist and chief medical advisor at Heart Research UK, as quoted by Fit&Well
What Symptoms Cannot Establish
The report is an interview-based account of one cardiologist’s guidance, not a study measuring how often these symptoms indicate heart disease during menopause. It does not quantify risk or show that hormonal changes caused any particular person’s chest discomfort, breathlessness or palpitations. Such symptoms can have multiple explanations, and diagnosis requires clinical assessment.
The source gives no publication date, study data or detailed clinical protocol beyond possible heart-monitoring tests. It also does not specify how recommendations should be tailored to a person’s medical history. Anyone worried about symptoms should contact a qualified health professional; emergency warning signs should not be managed by relying on an article.
When to Seek Medical Care
According to the report, call local emergency services if you think you may be having a heart attack, even if uncertain—particularly with new chest pressure plus sweating, nausea or breathlessness. It also advises emergency help for palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath or faintness, as well as severe breathlessness, collapse or possible stroke signs. The report gives 911 for the United States and 999 for the United Kingdom; readers elsewhere should use their local emergency number.
Arrange medical assessment for new or recurring palpitations, reduced exercise tolerance, recurrent dizziness or unexplained breathlessness. Jogiya says worsening symptoms, or palpitations that occurred with chest pain, breathlessness or faintness and have since stopped, call for urgent medical advice. He recommends discussing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checks with a clinician. The report does not give a timeline for follow-up or report any new policy or research milestone.
Key Questions
Which three symptoms does the cardiologist say women should not ignore?
Dr Roy Jogiya identifies new chest discomfort, breathlessness during familiar daily activities or exercise, and persistent or irregular palpitations. The symptoms do not by themselves establish a heart diagnosis.
Can menopause cause heart palpitations?
Jogiya says palpitations are common during menopause and often harmless, and that hormonal fluctuations, disrupted sleep, anxiety and hot flashes can make the heartbeat more noticeable. Persistent palpitations or those with chest pain, breathlessness or faintness need medical assessment.
When should someone call emergency services?
The report advises calling emergency services for suspected heart attack symptoms, including new chest pressure especially with sweating, nausea or breathlessness. Palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath or fainting also warrant emergency help. Use the emergency number for your location.
What can a clinician do to investigate palpitations?
Jogiya says a clinician may use an electrocardiogram or a portable heart monitor to check whether a heart rhythm problem is involved. The appropriate evaluation depends on the person’s symptoms and medical history.
What heart-health steps does the report recommend?
Jogiya recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, strength training, a diet with vegetables, whole grains, nuts and olive oil, and checks of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Discuss personal prevention and screening with a qualified health professional.
Source: fitandwell.com
