The American Heart Association announced a new continuing education initiative to transform cardiovascular care for midlife women, funded by a $1 million philanthropic gift from Dr. Jennifer Ashton and her husband Tom Werner. The program aims to unite cardiologists and OB-GYNs to address the sharp increase in cardiovascular risk during the menopause transition, a period when cardiovascular disease becomes the leading cause of death for women, responsible for 1 in 3 female deaths annually.
Cardiovascular disease is projected to increase over the coming decades, making coordinated, evidence-based guidance for women in this life stage more urgent than ever. The menopause transition is marked by independent increases in cardiometabolic risk that often go unrecognized in clinical care. The new educational initiative will equip healthcare professionals with practical, interdisciplinary tools to better identify and treat these risks.
"We are profoundly grateful for Jen and Tom's remarkable vision and generosity," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "Their leadership sets a new standard for philanthropy in women's health. This commitment will accelerate the development of interdisciplinary education, but it will also redefine how cardiovascular and gynecologic health are connected across a woman's life course."
The program represents a collaborative effort between the American Heart Association and other professional medical societies focused on women's health care. The goal is to increase healthcare professional knowledge, competence and performance around women's heart health with a focus on menopause and other OB-GYN issues. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, the education aims to enhance patient outcomes and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease among women.
"Menopause represents a period when women's cardiovascular risks intensify, underscoring the need for truly coordinated, evidence-informed care," said Amy Young, M.D., CEO of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "As the OB-GYN medical community seeks to do more to advance care for women in menopause, we hope that as a certifying body, we can contribute to the collaborative conversations and the work to ensure women navigating this life stage receive safe, proactive, and connected care."
Dr. Ashton, a nationally trusted women's health authority and medical journalist, explained the critical need for this program: "As an OB-GYN, the daughter of a cardiologist and a woman, I know women's cardiovascular risks are too often overlooked in midlife, which happens because OB-GYNs often don't know the latest cardiology information, and cardiologists often are unaware of the most current aspects of menopause medicine. This program seeks to connect the dots between these two specialties with tailored curricula."
For many women, the menopause transition marks when cardiovascular risk accelerates due to declining estrogen, increased abdominal fat, worsening lipid profiles, vascular stiffening, and rising blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, hot flashes and night sweats are associated with worse cardiovascular disease risk factor levels, and cholesterol levels and metabolic syndrome risk appear to increase with menopause beyond normal aging effects. Additional resources about menopause and cardiovascular risk are available through the Go Red For Women initiative.
Only 7.2% of women transitioning to menopause meet physical activity guidelines, and fewer than 20% maintain a healthy diet, compounding midlife risk. After menopause, 1 in 4 women may develop irregular heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation, which increases stroke risk. The American Heart Association has published scientific statements on this topic, including "Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing for Early Prevention" which provides important guidance for clinicians.
Initial courses for the new continuing education program will launch in Fall 2026, with additional modules released through Spring 2027. Early intervention at midlife remains one of the most powerful opportunities to prevent cardiovascular disease in women, and this initiative represents a significant step toward closing treatment gaps through specialized education that bridges medical specialties.
