Abstract
Menopause represents a significant period in a woman’s life, marked by substantial hormonal changes that significantly impact various bodily systems, particularly the cardiovascular system. The cessation of estrogen production increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial dysfunction. Myocardial dysfunction during menopause may lead to heart failure, particularly in postmenopausal women, where cardiovascular events become more frequent. This condition poses a serious health concern as structural and functional heart changes may remain undetected until advanced stages, complicating diagnosis and treatment. The relevance of studying myocardial dysfunction in menopausal women lies in the profound hormonal and physiological changes occurring during this period. Loss of estrogen's protective effect contributes to increased risks of hypertension, myocardial hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction, even with preserved ejection fraction, complicating diagnosis and management. The pathophysiology of myocardial dysfunction involves endothelial dysfunction, exacerbated by reduced nitric oxide synthesis and lipid metabolism disruptions, further promoting myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. Epidemiological data reveal a higher incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in postmenopausal women, linked to more pronounced diastolic dysfunction compared to men.Diagnostic methods like echocardiography and advanced imaging techniques such as MRI play a crucial role in identifying early structural myocardial changes, including left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. Understanding the prognostic significance of these structural and functional myocardial indicators is critical for preventing cardiovascular diseases and improving patient outcomes in menopausal women.