Is it Hot Flushes or Hypertension Beyond Menopause?
As women transition through menopause, symptoms like sudden heat, palpitations or dizziness are common. But here is the critical question, is it a hot flush or could it be high blood pressure (hypertension)?
This distinction matters, especially because cardiovascular disease is now the leading cause of death in post-menopausal women worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2021).
Here are 5 key points with data and evidence:
1. Hot Flushes vs. Blood Pressure Surges
Hot flushes: Flushing of the skin, sweating, sudden wave of body heat.
Hypertension spikes: This may bring headaches, chest pressure, blurred vision or dizziness.
A recent British Heart Foundation study (2022) highlighted that women often confuse the two, which delays treatment. This is especially risky since 60% of women over 60 in the UK live with high blood pressure.
2. Hormonal Shifts and Cardiovascular Risk
Declining oestrogen reduces arterial flexibility, increasing risk of hypertension, stroke and heart disease. A Lancet review (2020) found that post-menopausal women have a two- to three-fold higher risk of cardiovascular events compared with premenopausal women.
3. Lifestyle, Stress & Sleep
Poor sleep, midlife weight gain, high-salt diets and chronic stress are proven drivers of both hot flushes and hypertension.
According to NHS Health Survey for England (2019), lifestyle-related risk factors are more prevalent in urban BAME populations due to food deserts, occupational stress and socioeconomic inequities.
4. Why BAME Women Face Greater Risk
Black women in the UK are twice as likely to develop hypertension compared to white women (Public Health England, 2020).
South Asian women face earlier onset of cardiovascular disease, with diabetes compounding hypertension risk (British Medical Journal, 2018).
AI-driven studies analysing NHS datasets show systemic disparities. BAME women are 40% less likely to be prescribed preventative statins and often present later with severe complications (Nuffield Trust, 2022).
Cultural silence around menopause also means that symptoms such as hot flushes are under-reported, masking underlying hypertension.
5. Early Testing Saves Lives
Hypertension is called the “silent killer” because it often goes unnoticed until damage is done. A home blood pressure monitor, combined with regular GP check-ups, is essential. AI modelling from King’s College London (2023) predicts that proactive screening in midlife could reduce cardiovascular mortality in BAME women by up to 25% over the next decade.
Finally, hot flushes may be a normal part of menopause, but hypertension is not.
For Black and women of colour, who are already at higher cardiovascular risk due to systemic health inequalities, distinguishing between the two is not just important, it’s life-saving.
Have you ever checked your blood pressure during a hot flush? What did you discover? Sharing your story in the comments below could help another woman take action today.
