2024-02-16 10:03:08
The study tells us in particular that this higher risk of heart problems and stroke is mainly observed only in women suffering from hot flashes, night sweats and long-term migraines. In terms of cardiovascular prevention, the priority is to
focus on reducing cardiovascular risk but also on possible migraine treatment.
The history also raises the question: Are middle-aged women plagued by migraines, hot flashes and night sweats ‘predisposed’ to a higher risk of heart attack or stroke?
The studies are based on an in-depth analysis of data from a long-term cohort (Cardia) of more than 1,900 women who had regular physical examinations, blood tests and completed annual health surveys, between the end of adolescence and early thirties. These participants, now in their 50s and 60s, provided researchers with a long-term view of the factors that shape health in the years before and following menopause. These two new studies provide a first answer:
“Don’t worry so much, especially when you don’t suffer from migraines, hot flashes and prolonged night sweats at the same time.”
The combination of migraines, hot flashes and night sweats must on the other hand lead women to consult. Beyond that, the authors advise these patients to focus on prevention and, in practice, on the fight once morest cardiovascular risk factors. The analyzes reveal that:
- just over 30% of participants in middle age reported having hot flashes and persistent night sweats or “vasomotor symptoms” because they are linked to changes in the diameter of blood vessels;
- among these participants with vasomotor symptoms, 23% also suffered from migraines: these participants do have, in the long term, an additional risk of stroke, heart attack or other cardiovascular events not explainable by other risk factors;
- 43% of participants experienced minimal levels of vasomotor symptoms in their 50s;
- 27% of participants had such vasomotor symptoms increase over time until their 50s and early 60s;
- the most predictive factors for such vasomotor symptoms are migraines, depression and smoking.
Synthetic :
- Women who have suffered from migraines, hot flashes and night sweats for many years run an additional level of cardiovascular risk. Prevention is therefore even more important in this group of women, says lead author Dr. Catherine Kim, a researcher at the University of Michigan.
- Women currently aged 20 to 30 who suffer from migraines may also be at higher risk of long-term symptoms related to menopause as they age.
What recommendations?
- Sleep more;
- exercise more;
- opt for a healthier diet;
- if necessary, stop smoking;
- monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight.
What treatment, especially for migraines? In the 1980s, knowledge of the biology of blood vessels did not “descend” to the cellular and molecular level. Today, we know that these vasomotor symptoms of menopause and migraines are linked to the contraction and dilation of blood vessels. Numerous studies have in fact shown the microscopic impacts on blood vessels of years of smoking, poor sleep, poor eating habits and lack of activity, as well as the weight of genetic factors, but also of lifestyle and hormonal changes.
- New injectable migraine medications, called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists, or “gepants,” have hit the market: via monoclonal antibodies, they target a key receptor on the surface of cells blood vessels to prevent migraines and headaches. However, these new medications are expensive and rarely covered by complementary health insurance.
“The anxiety and fear that women with migraines and menopausal symptoms feel regarding cardiovascular risk is real, but these findings suggest that focusing on prevention and correcting bad habits and risk factors might help most women.
Finally, the authors emphasize the key role of sleep, to reduce hot flashes, and recalls the option of estradiol-based hormone therapy patches, which does not appear to be associated with cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, no over-the-counter supplement has to date really demonstrated its effectiveness.
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