Early Menopause Threatens Heart Attacks And Strokes Before The Age Of 60

Early menopause threatens heart attacks and strokes before the age of 60

Compared to women who had menopause at the age of 50-51 years, with premature menopause, the probability of myocardial infarction or stroke is 55%, with early menopause - by 30%.

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Strokes and heart attacks are more likely to develop in women under the age of 60 with early menopause. Research confirming this is published in the Lancet Public Health.

Scientists analyzed data from 15 observational studies conducted in 1946-2013, with the participation of 301,438 women from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Scandinavia and Japan. 12,962 of them survived myocardial infarction or stroke after menopause.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of illness and death in women. These data will help identify women at greatest cardiovascular risk for targeted monitoring, early diagnosis and even disease prevention,”said senior study author Gita Mishra of the University of Queensland, Australia.

Compared to women who had menopause at the age of 50-51, with premature menopause (up to 40 years), the likelihood of myocardial infarction or stroke after menopause increased by 55%, with early menopause (40-44 years) - by 30%, with a relatively early menopause (45-49 years) - by 12%.

Menopause is the cessation of menstruation. The production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone decreases in the ovaries, resulting in symptoms such as vaginal dryness, mood swings, joint pain and insomnia. Early menopause is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and sleep problems.

In the current study, menopause occurred on average at age 50; 1.2% of women had premature menopause, 4.7% - early. According to the data obtained, among women who have had myocardial infarction or stroke, an average of 13.5 years elapsed between menopause and cardiovascular events.

Myocardial infarction or stroke was more common in women who smoked, with a lower education level, obesity, and a history of high blood pressure.

The research team noted a number of limitations in their analysis. First, the study was not a controlled experiment designed to prove whether the timing of menopause can directly affect cardiovascular health. Second, many cardiovascular events were reported by study participants themselves, without medical records. Third, the results could be influenced by the use of hormone therapy after menopause.

However, the results highlight the need for special vigilance regarding heart health in women who had menopause at an earlier age.

“For women with early menopause, active management of other cardiovascular risk factors, such as quitting cigarette smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight, is all the more important to reduce their overall risk of cardiovascular disease. These women can also consult with health professionals to regularly monitor their risk of cardiovascular disease,”advised Gita Mishra.