PCOS, Painful Periods Linked to Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Study Reveals

Around 91% of women experience menstrual issues at a certain point in their lives. Now, new studies show that certain menstrual issues, specifically polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and period pain, are linked to heightened cardiovascular disease risk.

Menstrual Issues

While menstruation may be a minor inconvenience for some individuals, it comes with health issues and side effects for others. The most prominent effect is dysmenorrhea, or period pain. According to a review, around 91% in the reproductive age are affected by dysmenorrhea. The pain can come in varying ranges, from mild to severe. It can impact the daily functioning of 21% to 29% of women.

PCOS is another common reproductive health issue. This condition is linked to the development of small sacs containing fluids in the ovaries. While the exact prevalence of the condition remains unclear, experts think that around 4% to 21% of women are affected by it.

ALSO READ: What Are Period Poops? All You Need To Know About the Effect of Menstruation on Your Bowel Movement

PCOS, Dysmenorrhea, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Now, two studies that are yet to be peer-reviewed and that were presented during the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2023 have shown that among women in reproductive age, both PCOS and dysmenorrhea could boost cardiovascular disease risk.

The first study looked into the link between ischemic heart disease (IHD) and dysmenorrhea. IHD is a condition involving the narrowing of arteries that supply blood to the heart. This, in turn, reduces the oxygen amount that arrives at the heart muscle.

The researchers made use of electronic health records to look into 55,000 women below the age of 50 years. Over 30,000 of these women were diagnosed with dysmenorrhea. The researchers examined overall heart disease diagnoses and specific heart disease diagnoses.

Through statistical analysis, the researchers discovered that dysmenorrhea was a likely risk factor for IHD that was early. This was particularly true for chronic IHD and angina.

The main findings revealed that women who had dysmenorrhea had a doubled likelihood of getting IHD compared to those without dysmenorrhea. It also indicated that these women had a triple likelihood of experiencing angina and a double likelihood of getting chronic IHD.

The second study covered the health data of 170,000 adolescent girls from 2012 to 2018. The researchers noted the teenage girls' height, weight, and blood pressure taken during an initial visit of the well-child. They also noted any PCOS diagnosis a year after these visits were made.

Most of the girls (66%) had good weight, with 19%being overweight and over 15% having classified obesity. There were a total of 1,140 girls who had PCOS.

Among the girls with PCOS, 18.6% were found to have high blood pressure, compared to the figures of 6.9% among those who did not have PCOS. Factoring in the girls' body mass index, ethnicity or race, and age, the researchers discovered that high blood pressure prevalence was 30% higher among those girls who had PCOS.

Dr. Sherry Zhang, the study's lead author and a resident physician from Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center's Internal Medicine department, explains that studying teenagers could enable them to know more about potential cardiometabolic complications of PCOS that could surface at a young age. This could be done with hopes of reducing future risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Zhang adds that the findings stress the importance of routinely monitoring blood pressure and of modifying the lifestyle of adolescents who are at risk.

Dr. Eugenia Alleva, the lead author of the first study and a postdoctoral research fellow from the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, explains that while they have a running hypothesis regarding interrelated factors, more research is necessary. Dr. Alleva cautions that it is necessary for findings to be confirmed further, though things ahead are quite exciting.