A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California in San Francisco proved that women who experienced early menopause have a higher risk of having heart failure. This study also amplified the importance of looking through the factors of how pregnancy and the reproductive period is related to cardiovascular disease.
The study also showed that women who never gave birth have a much higher risk of acquiring a condition called diastolic heart failure compared to women who have given birth. According to a report from Mail Online, women who never had children are more prone to early menopause which occurs before the age of 40.
The data was analyzed from 28,516 women that have no heart disease in over an average of 13.1 years. Researchers found out that 5.2 percent of the women were hospitalized with heart failure. For every additional year added before the menopause, the risk of heart failure also decreases about 1%.
The average age for menopause is between the ages of 40 and 58, as reported by Health Line. Menopause that occurs before the age of 40 is considered to be early menopause.While previous studies showed that women who experience it have a higher risk for narrowing of the arteries. This may eventually lead to high blood pressure and heart failure. An estimated 44 million of women are affected by cardiovascular diseases in the U.S. and 90% of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke.
Why this happens is still unclear although a decrease in estrogen levels which is believed to increase venal flexibility and is highly beneficial to the artery walls is a factor. Nisha Parikh, senior author of the study and an assistant professor of cardiology at UCSF said that they need further research with the factors to help protect women from developing heart failure.
