Premature Menopause Linked With Higher Risk Of Heart Disease, Finds New Study

The study included more that 1.4 million women to find out the links between pregnancy complications, menopause and risk of heart diseases.

Premature menopause, which occurs before the age of 40 years, is linked to higher risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, a condition of irregular or rapid heartbeat that can result in blood clots in heart, according to a new study. According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), women with premature menopause are more likely to develop heart failure or atrial fibrillation than their peers.

The study included more that 1.4 million women to find out the links between pregnancy complications, menopause and risk of heart diseases. Premature menopause leads to decreased estrogen hormone levels and affects 1 percent of women under the age of 40 years.

“Women with premature menopause should be aware that they may be more likely to develop heart failure or atrial fibrillation than their peers. This may be good motivation to improve lifestyle habits known to be linked with heart disease, such as quitting smoking and exercising,” said study author Dr. Ga Eun Nam of Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

As per the study, women with premature menopause faced 33 percent higher risk of heart failure and a 9 percent more risk of atrial fibrillation.

The study includes data from the Korean National Health Insurance System (NHIS), which provides health screening every two years and includes 97 percent of the population.

In the study, the researchers examined the link between premature menopause, age at menopause, and incident of atrial fibrillation and heart failure after adjusting for factors like age, physical activity, alcohol, smoking, income, BMI, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, etc.

Prior studies found a link between premature (before age 40) and early (before age 45) menopause and cardiovascular disease. However, the evidence on the link between premature menopause and heart failure or atrial fibrillation was limited.

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