Early menopausal women may be at higher risk of heart failure

A new study found that menopausal women that are younger than 40 are at greater risk of heart problems.

Women with premature menopause had an overall 33 per cent higher risk of heart failure and a 9 per cent higher risk of an irregular heart rhythm compared to women who experience normal menopause. 

Researchers investigated whether the decline of hormone levels could leave women more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease. The study analysed data from 1.4 million Korean women who took part in health screening through the country’s National Health Insurance System.

Around 1 per cent of women are though to be affected by menopause occurring before the age of 40.

Study author Dr. Ga Run Nam said: “Women with premature menopause should be aware that they may be more likely to develop heart failure or atrial fibrillation than their peers.

“This may be good motivation to improve lifestyle habits known to be linked with heart disease, such as quitting smoking and exercising.”

Early menopause can happen naturally if a woman’s ovaries stop making normal levels of certain hormones, particularly the hormone oestrogen. This is sometimes called premature ovarian failure, or primary ovarian insufficiency.

The cause of premature ovarian failure is often unknown, but in some women it may be caused by chromes abnormalities, autoimmune disease and certain infections such as tuberculosis or malaria.

Premature ovarian failure can sometimes run in families. This might be the case if any of the woman’s relatives went through the menopause at a very young age.

Dr Nam added: “The misconception that heart disease primarily affects men has meant that sex-specific risk factors have been largely ignored.

“Evidence is accumulation that undergoing menopause before the age of 40 may increase the likelihood of heart disease later in life.

“Our study indicated that reproductive history should be routinely considered in addition to traditional risk factors such as smoking when evaluating the future likelihood of heart failure and atrial fibrillation.”