Women who go through menopause earlier in life may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke before they reach age 60 than their counterparts who go through menopause later on, a recent study suggests.
Researchers examined data from 15 observational studies with a total of more than 300,000 women, including almost 13,000 women who survived events like a heart attack or stroke after menopause.
Compared with women who went through menopause at age 50 or 51, women who experienced premature menopause, before age 40, were 55% more likely to have events like a heart attack or stroke after menopause. With early menopause, from age 40 to 44, women had a 30% greater risk of cardiovascular events after menopause; with relatively early menopause, from age 45 to 49, the increased risk was 12%.
“Heart disease is a leading cause of illness and death for women,” said senior study author Gita Mishra of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
“These findings will help to identify women at most risk of cardiovascular disease for closer monitoring and earlier diagnosis and even prevention of the disease,” Mishra said by email.
Women go through menopause when they stop menstruating. As the ovaries curb production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, women can experience symptoms ranging from vaginal dryness to mood swings, joint pain and insomnia.
Earlier menopause has previously been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and sleep problems. It can also leave women with fewer reproductive years, particularly when it’s preceded by premature ovarian failure, when the ovaries stop working before age 40.