5 Overlooked Women’s Heart Health Risks

Feb 8

Heart disease isn’t just about cholesterol and age. Research is uncovering risk factors that affect women differently.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, yet many of the risks that matter most are still widely misunderstood. Even women who pay close attention to their health often assume heart risk is something that would show up clearly in labs or obvious symptoms. Research tells a more complicated story.

Here are five heart health risks for women that are still commonly overlooked — not because women aren’t paying attention, but because these factors aren’t emphasized enough in everyday wellness conversations.

1. “Normal” cholesterol doesn’t always mean low risk

Cholesterol is an important marker, but it’s not the full picture for women. Studies have shown that many women who experience heart attacks didn’t have dramatically elevated LDL levels beforehand. Inflammation, blood vessel function, and hormonal changes all influence cardiovascular risk, which means reassuring labs don’t always tell the whole story.

Large studies published in major cardiology journals, including Circulation Research, show that heart disease often develops and presents differently in women, which helps explain why traditional risk markers don’t always tell the full story.

What’s often missing is guidance on what other markers and life-stage factors should be considered alongside cholesterol.

2. Autoimmune disease quietly raises heart risk

Women are far more likely than men to live with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis. Chronic inflammation associated with these diseases has been linked to accelerated atherosclerosis and higher rates of cardiovascular events, even in younger women.

The American Heart Association now recognizes autoimmune disease as a cardiovascular “risk enhancer,” yet this connection is rarely discussed outside of specialty care.

For many women, heart health simply isn’t framed as part of managing autoimmune disease — especially early on.

3. Pregnancy complications can predict future heart disease

Conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth are no longer viewed as isolated pregnancy issues. Research has shown that these complications can signal higher cardiovascular risk decades later, acting as an early stress test for the heart and blood vessels.

Large population studies published in JAMA have reinforced this link, yet many women are never told that their pregnancy history should inform long-term heart health monitoring. For most, the conversation ends after delivery, even though the risk does not.

4. Menopause affects blood vessels, not just cholesterol

As estrogen levels decline, changes occur not only in cholesterol but also in vascular flexibility, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. This helps explain why women’s heart disease risk rises sharply after menopause, even when lifestyle habits remain largely the same.

Research published in Circulation Research has detailed estrogen’s role in vascular health, yet heart health is still rarely centered in menopause discussions outside of cardiology.

Menopause-related heart risk depends on when changes occur and what else is happening in a woman’s health at the time, not just age or menopausal status.

5. Stress and social isolation are real cardiovascular risk factors

Chronic stress, caregiving burden, and social isolation aren’t just mental health concerns, they have measurable effects on cardiovascular health. Elevated stress hormones and inflammation have been linked to higher heart disease risk, particularly in women.

The American Heart Association has identified social isolation and chronic stress as significant contributors to cardiovascular disease, yet they’re often treated as secondary or unavoidable.

For many women, these factors are constant — and rarely addressed as part of prevention.

Why this matters: Many of these risks fall outside the standard heart health checklist women are familiar with, especially when hormones, life stage, and inflammation are involved. They’re also some of the gaps we’ll be exploring in more depth at our February 24th event on women’s heart health at PureCare Pharmacy in Greenvale with guest speaker is Evelina Grayver, MD, director of the Women’s Heart Program at Northwell Health and The Katz Institute for Women.

Reserve your spot—and Pretty Local gift bag—today.