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By Serena Gordon<\/b>
HealthDay Reporter<\/i><\/p>\n
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
As if the misery of hot flashes<\/a>, night sweats<\/a> and sleep<\/a> troubles weren’t enough, now new research suggests that women who routinely experience moderate to severe menopausal symptoms have a higher risk of stroke<\/a> and heart disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n “This analysis assessed various menopausal symptoms and their association with health outcomes. Women with two or more moderate to severe menopausal symptoms had an increased risk of stroke<\/a> and cardiovascular disease<\/a>,” said study author Dr. Matthew Nudy, a cardiology fellow at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.<\/p>\n This study didn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it only showed an association between menopausal symptoms and stroke<\/a> and other heart<\/a> and blood vessel diseases. It’s possible that menopause symptoms<\/a> might not be a cause of these problems at all. It may be that other factors, such as obesity<\/a> or diabetes<\/a>, may lead to both menopausal symptoms and poor health outcomes.<\/p>\n Nudy also noted that past research has shown that women with menopausal symptoms often have other risk factors for heart disease<\/a> and stroke<\/a>, such as high blood pressure<\/a> and cholesterol<\/a>. They also may have poorer blood vessel health and increased levels of inflammation.<\/p>\n The latest research used data from a previous trial of more than 20,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79. The average follow-up time for the study was seven years.<\/p>\n The study looked for symptoms that included:<\/p>\n The researchers found that when two or more of these symptoms were moderate to severe, the odds of stroke<\/a> increased by 41%. The odds of any cardiovascular disease<\/a> increased by 37% in women with two or more moderate to severe symptoms compared to women who had none.<\/p>\n Women who have multiple or more moderate to severe symptoms from menopause<\/a> may be more likely to see a doctor for relief of those symptoms. Nudy said that’s a good opportunity for doctors to assess their heart disease<\/a> and stroke<\/a> risk.<\/p>\n Dr. Eugenia Gianos, director of women’s heart<\/a> health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, reviewed the study and said it reaffirms previous studies on potentially negative effects associated with menopausal symptoms.<\/p>\n “Many cardiac syndromes are unique to women and hormonal differences may explain the differences noted,” Gianos said.<\/p>\n “Unfortunately, supplementation with calcium and vitamin D<\/a> did not improve outcomes,” she added.<\/p>\n
Future research needs to determine what factors may be responsible for the negative effects of menopause<\/a> and menopausal symptoms on women’s health, and find ways to ease menopausal symptoms and any poor outcomes linked to them, Gianos noted.<\/p>\n The findings were presented this week at the virtual meeting of the North American Menopause<\/a> Society. Findings presented at meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n References<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nQUESTION<\/h4>\n
\n If menopause occurs in a woman younger than ___ years, it is considered to be premature.<\/span>
\n See Answer<\/span>
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\n SOURCES: Matthew Nudy, M.D., cardiology fellow, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.; Eugenia Gianos, M.D., director, women’s heart health, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Sept. 28, 2020, presentation, North American Menopause Society virtual meeting
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