2024-04-02 18:56:08
Women’s heart health declines rapidly after menopause and the risk of cardiovascular disease increases significantly. Postmenopausal women should pay particular attention to possible early warning signs of heart disease.
A research team led by Dr. Ella Ishaaya from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, USA, examined changes in heart health in women after menopause. The corresponding study results will be presented at this year’s American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session.
Menopause affects heart health
Various previous research papers have suggested a connection between menopause and impaired heart health. For example, an increased risk of heart attack has already been proven with certain menopausal symptoms.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health also came to the conclusion in a 2020 study that menopause increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Changes in the coronary arteries
In the new study, the researchers determined the so-called calcium score in the coronary arteries, a measure of plaque formation in the heart arteries, in women after menopause.
A higher calcium score indicates a higher risk of a heart attack or other cardiac events, the team explains.
The researchers analyzed data from 579 postmenopausal women who took statins to control their cholesterol levels and had two heart scans at least a year apart.
For comparison, each participant was matched with a man with a similar profile in terms of age, race, statin use, blood pressure and diabetes status. All participants had no heart disease at the time of the first scan.
Based on the participants’ calcium score, they were divided into three groups with values of 1 to 99, 100 to 399 and 400 or higher at the start of the study, the experts report.
Significant deterioration
Between the first and second heart scans, the calcium score rose by an average of eight points in women with an initial value of 1 to 99, the researchers continued. For men in this group, the average value only increased by four points.
According to the research team, women with a baseline score of 100 to 399 recorded an average increase of 31 points, while men in the same group increased by 16 points.
This means that the deterioration in these two groups among women was around twice as pronounced as among men. However, for people with a baseline score of 400 or higher, there was no significant difference between genders.
Risk underestimated in women
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women, but women’s cardiovascular risk has traditionally been underestimated because women tend to develop heart disease at an older age than men and often experience different and sometimes more subtle symptoms, explains Das Team.
The new study results now indicate that plaque formation is accelerated in women after menopause compared to men, meaning that the risk of heart problems increases sharply for many women.
Estrogen the decisive factor?
According to the researchers, this is probably related to the drop in estrogen that women experience during menopause. It has long been known that estrogen has a protective effect on heart health.
“After menopause, women have much less estrogen and tend to have a higher testosterone profile. This affects how your body stores fat, where it stores fat, and how it processes fat; it even affects the way your blood clots.”, said Dr. Ishaaya. The changes increase the risk of heart disease.
The study underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the early warning signs of heart disease risk in postmenopausal women, as they lose the protective effects of estrogen after menopause.
To date, women have been under-examined and treated, especially post-menopausal women, who are exposed to a flood of new risk factors that many are unaware of, concludes Dr. Ishaaya. (fp)
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This text complies with the requirements of medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical professionals.
Sources:
- American College of Cardiology: Heart health declines rapidly after menopause (veröffentlicht 02.04.2024), acc.org
- The North American Menopause Society: Could Your Menopause Symptoms Be Hard on Your Heart? (veröffentlicht 28.09.2020, eurekalert.org
Important NOTE:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. He can not substitute a visit at the doctor.
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