This 1 Life Event Reveals Woman’s Heart Disease Risk, Cardiologist Says

A woman may have no symptoms of heart disease, but still have hidden heart problems as she goes through life unaware of her risk.

But one major life event can bring those silent issues to light, cardiologists say.

It may come as a shock to women who haven’t had any warning signs.

Cardiologist Tip of the Day: Pregnancy Can Reveal Hidden Heart Problems

Pay attention to new heart symptoms that can suddenly appear after you become pregnant.

“Pregnancy is a stress test for the heart,” Dr. Jennifer Mieres, a cardiologist at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York, previously told TODAY.

“Very often, women who are pregnant, with that stress test, conditions of the heart are unveiled.”

Experts at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute call pregnancy a “window into future cardiovascular health” of an expectant mom.

One woman told TODAY she was shocked to be diagnosed with heart valve disease after she gave birth, even though had no prior symptoms and no history of heart problems.

Why It Matters

Gestational hypertension — or high blood pressure during pregnancy — and preeclampsia, which is a potentially life-threatening sudden increase in blood pressure in the last trimester or after childbirth, can put women at risk for developing heart disease later on in life, Mieres warned.

The risk can nearly double for women who experience those conditions, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute noted.

It may also be independent of traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or family history of heard disease, according to a study in the journal Circulation.

Women who developed high blood pressure while pregnant had a 63% increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

How to Get Started

A healthy pregnancy means a woman has passed this particular stress test, but for those who had complications, experts urge awareness over alarm.

“(We want) women to feel empowered to use this information to improve their health rather than be overwhelmed or daunted by an increased risk after what can be a really complicated pregnancy,” Jennifer Stuart, an associate epidemiologist in the division of women’s health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, previously told TODAY.

Tell your primary care doctor about your pregnancy complications so your health team is aware there’s a potentially higher risk of heart disease down the road.

Manage blood pressure and adopt healthy habits before getting pregnant — such as regular exercise and a heart-healthy diet — to avoid pregnancy complications and stay healthy after giving birth.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.