Early menopause: heart risk

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MunichMenopause heralds the end of a woman's fertility. This is the case on average at 52 years of age. However, some have it between the ages of 40 and 45 - and that increases the risk of heart failure, according to an American study. Smokers are particularly at risk for heart problems.

For the study, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm compared the hospital data of more than 22,000 women over a period of 13 years. 2500 of the study participants developed cardiac insufficiency during this period.

Early menopause, weak heart

The analysis gave a clear picture: women who started menopause early (between 40 and 45 years of age) had a 40 percent higher risk of heart failure than those who had their last menstrual period between 50 and 54 years of age. On average, the risk of heart failure decreased by two percent with each year that the menopause began later.

Smoking intensifies the effect

If the women were between 46 and 49 years old, the likelihood of developing heart failure was 13 percent higher. For women in this group who had smoked at some point in their lives, this connection was even clearer. For them, the risk of heart failure was even twice as high at 25 percent.

It pays to improve your lifestyle

"Menopause is always a good time to reduce the risk of heart problems through exercise, a healthy diet, weight loss and quitting smoking," said Margery Gass, director of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Younger menopausal women in particular should be careful about their health and lifestyle. Because not only do they have an increased risk of developing certain diseases, they also get sick earlier. With the same life expectancy, the diseases have a longer and therefore greater effect. The diseases at risk include, for example, osteoporosis, stroke, obesity and diabetes. (jb)

Source: Rahman I. et al. Relationship between age at natural menopause and risk of heart failure. The Journal of the North American Menopause Society. 05/12/2014.

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