THE ESSENTIAL
- Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstruation stops. It occurs around the age of 50. This natural phenomenon can lead to hot flashes, fatigue or even insomnia.
- Early menopause affects 1% of women under 40, according to the European Society of Cardiology.
If you are a woman under 45 and showing signs of early menopause, monitor your heart condition.
And for good reason: the earlier menopause occurs, the higher the risk of suffering from heart problems. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers from the University of Seoul, South Korea, recently published in theEuropean Heart Journal.
1.4 million women over 9 years
To arrive at this result, the scientists gathered the health data of more than 1.4 million postmenopausal women, over a total period of 9 years. Age at menopause was divided into four categories: under 40, 40 to 44, 45 to 49, and 50 or older.
A total of 42,699 women (3%) developed heart failure and 44,834 (3.2%) suffered from atrial fibrillation, ie their heart poorly pumps blood around the body. The researchers then analyzed the link between early menopause and these heart problems, while taking into account other variables such as BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and income.
Awareness
The results are clear: women who have experienced premature menopause (i.e. before age 40) are at risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation respectively 33% and 9% higher than those who had their menopause after 50 years.
Other factors may come into play, such as falling estrogen levels and changes in body fat distribution, but the researchers are adamant. “There is growing evidence that menopause before age 40 may increase the risk of heart disease later in life”says the professor Ga Eun Nam, lead author of the study, in a communiqué.
“It can be a good motivation to become aware and give up bad lifestyle habits, such as quitting smoking and exercising,” he concludes.
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