• Cardiovascular diseases (stroke, heart attack) are the #1 killer of women in the United States. Menopause doesn't directly cause cardiovascular diseases, but it can increase your risk due to the shift in hormones and changes in blood pressure. 

• Osteoporosis is sometimes called the silent killer. With the drop in hormones, bones become thinner, fragile, and more brittle, leading to a higher incidence of fractures. Bone density may decrease by up to 25% following menopause up to age 60.

• Type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening. Disrupted hormonal balances can lead to chaos with blood sugar (glucose) levels, weight gain, and diabetes. Diabetes complications such as heart attack and stroke may follow.

• Mental health disorders and Alzheimer's disease are more common as hormones are depleted.

• Some types of cancer, including colon, esophageal, and uterine cancer can increase when estrogen and progesterone levels drop.

• High cholesterol is common with waning hormones, which can boost harmful cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol, inviting a fatty buildup in the arteries. This can lead to stroke and heart attack. 

• High blood pressure can be a result of menopause. Some think this is due to shifting hormones, while others think weight gain and an increase in body mass index (BMI) in menopausal women is the cause.

• Urinary health complications are often due to low hormones that lead to the lining of the urethra becoming dry, thin, and less elastic, which can increase the frequency of incontinence and urinary tract infections.

Hormone replacement therapy is not only important for symptom control, but also imperative for the prevention of age related disease. As we age, we lose the hormones that are incredibly valuable for our entire body.