Health
Heart health risk factors for women over age 50: 'Don't ignore new symptoms,' experts warn
February is American Heart Month — a good time to know what’s at stake in terms of your cardiovascular health.
For women over age 50, a few factors regarding heart health deserve a little more attention, according to experts.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, according to Northwell Health cardiologist Dr. Stacey Rosen, who is based in New York.
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Nearly 45% of women over 20 years old are actually living with some form of CVD, Rosen told Fox News Digital.
Gender-specific risk factors include menstrual history and adverse pregnancy outcomes, she said.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, according to experts. For American Heart Month in February, there are risk factors women need to know about — and how to handle them. (iStock)
“Other sex-specific risk factors include anxiety and depression, increased risk due to certain treatments for breast cancer, and rheumatologic conditions,” she said.
Dr. John Whyte, chief medical officer of WebMD and based in Washington, D.C., also told Fox News Digital about some primary risk factors for women age 50 and older — starting with menopause.
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“The decrease in estrogen levels after menopause is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons [we see an] increase in heart attacks around this age.”
High blood pressure and high cholesterol also often increase with age and can become “more challenging to control,” Whyte said.
Gender-specific heart disease risk factors include menopause, menstrual history and adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to experts. (iStock)
“Changes in cholesterol levels, including increases in ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and decreases in ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, can elevate heart disease risk,” he said.
Diabetes risk also increases with age, which significantly raises the chance of heart disease, Whyte said, as do other health factors such as obesity, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.
“Lack of physical activity can increase the risk of heart disease and other co-morbid conditions,” he added.
Symptoms worth noticing
As women often experience different cardiac symptoms than men, the “classic chest pain that radiates down the left arm” may not occur, Whyte said.
Women may instead notice unusual or extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and indigestion.
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Jaw, neck and upper back pain are often overlooked, as they often occur without the chest pain associated with heart attacks, according to experts.
“The symptoms women experience with heart disease can often be different,” Rosen of New York said.
“Don’t ignore new symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness or indigestion.”
Symptoms of heart problems in women can appear as unusual or severe fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and indigestion. (iStock)
There are several routine exams to monitor heart health, Whyte noted.
Blood pressure screenings are “crucial,” the doctor said, as “hypertension is a silent killer.”
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An annual cholesterol profile check will monitor levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and triglyceride (lipid fats).
“The key is not just total cholesterol, but also LDL,” Whyte said.
An annual cholesterol profile check will help monitor HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and triglyceride levels. (iStock)
Blood glucose tests can also be helpful in monitoring diabetes, which is a “significant risk factor for heart disease,” Whyte said, as well as a coronary calcium score to determine risk.
People with symptoms or significant risk factors can check for heart rhythm abnormalities through an electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG), experts recommend.
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It’s “important to have a primary care clinician who knows you well and can help determine the need for further evaluation,” Rosen added.
“Develop a trusting, longitudinal relationship with a primary care clinician,” she recommended. “This is the time to be a ‘good’ patient. Ask questions about prevention strategies and cardiovascular testing that is appropriate for you.”
Strategies to keep the heart happy
The majority of CVD is preventable through lifestyle changes, heightened awareness and education, Rosen said — which means that “your heart health is in your hands.”
“Know your numbers — cholesterol, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar — as all are important risk factors that can be modified,” she said.
Health factors such as obesity, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle increase heart disease risk, experts said. (iStock)
For day-to-day upkeep, Whyte listed several foods that are known to promote a healthy heart.
These include fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants; whole grains for fiber and nutrients; lean protein like fish and poultry; nuts and seeds for healthy fats; legumes for fiber and protein; and coffee and tea for antioxidants.
Limiting sugary foods and drinks will help prevent obesity and diabetes.
Among the foods to avoid are saturated and trans fats, which are found in red meat, butter, cheese and processed foods, experts said.
Steering clear of excess salt will also help avoid high blood pressure — while limiting sugary foods and drinks will help prevent obesity and diabetes.
Processed and junk foods are “generally high in unhealthy fats, sugars and salt” and therefore should also be avoided, Whyte added.
Saturated and trans fats found in red meat, butter, cheese and processed foods should be avoided to promote heart health, Whyte said. (iStock)
Women over age 50 should partake in regular physical activity, which involves at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of “vigorous activity” each week, he recommended.
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“Start anywhere,” he advised. Do “10 [minutes] a day or 4,000 steps a day … and slowly increase. Don’t get discouraged thinking you can’t do 150 [minutes].”
Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and exercise will also help ward off heart complications, as well as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake and managing stress.
It’s crucial for women over age 50 to prioritize their sleep and stress management, one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Whyte suggested women should try stress-reducing techniques such as mindfulness, yoga or deep breathing, and should also get adequate sleep.
“Aim for seven to nine hours per night, as poor sleep can cause chronic inflammation,” he said.
Rosen agreed that while being mindful of daily lifestyle choices like eating healthy foods and exercising is important, it’s also crucial for women over 50 to prioritize their sleep and stress management.
“Speak to your clinician to learn of the advances that have been made to assist in adhering to a healthy lifestyle,” she said.
“For example, we can manage issues with sleep disorders better than ever before. Don’t be afraid to ask.”
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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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