Vasomotor Symptoms as a Vital Sign: Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Mental Health Risk in Menopause Care-VMS as a Whole-Health Signal

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Dr. Carolyn Moyers argues that moderate-to-severe menopausal vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) should be treated as a clinical signal—not merely a quality-of-life complaint. Their frequency, severity, and persistence are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, while midlife also brings metabolic and mental-health concerns. Because mood and vasomotor symptoms can worsen one another, clinicians should screen for depression and suicidality, and assess sleep, including possible sleep apnea.<br /><br />Moyers recommends broadening evaluation beyond hot flashes to include blood pressure, lipids, glucose and A1C, and—where appropriate—fasting insulin and cardiovascular risk markers. Bone health, vitamin D, fatigue-related factors, and sexual health may also merit attention. She emphasizes that menopause is a clinical diagnosis and that other conditions can mimic its symptoms.<br /><br />Hormone therapy may improve depression in some perimenopausal patients, but it is not a substitute for indicated psychiatric care. Her central message: let symptom burden guide treatment, and use vasomotor symptoms to prompt whole-person screening.

Keywords

menopausal vasomotor symptoms

hot flashes

cardiovascular risk

depression screening

menopause diagnosis