Pre-menopausal women have an average 33% higher risk of heart failure
Early menopause (menopause) has been shown to significantly increase the risk of heart diseases such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation. This is the result of a research team at Korea University Medical School surveying regarding 1.4 million postmenopausal women.
The research team analyzed data from approximately 1.4 million postmenopausal women tracked by the Korean health insurance system between 2009 and 2018. More than 28,000 of these participants experienced premature menopause.
The study found that women who entered menopause following age 50 had a 33% higher risk of heart failure, on average, than women who entered menopause following age 50, even following taking into account other risk factors. They also had an average 9% higher risk of developing an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation). Women who had menopause before age 40 had a 39% higher risk of heart failure than women following menopause following age 50, 23% higher in postmenopausal women ages 40-44 and 11% higher in postmenopausal women aged 45-49 years, respectively. The risk of atrial fibrillation was 11% higher in postmenopausal women younger than 40 years, 10% in postmenopausal women 40-44 years old, and 4% higher in postmenopausal women 45-49 years old. Researchers found that premature menopause affects 1% of women under the age of 40.
The corresponding author, Professor Nam Ga-eun of Korea University Medical School (Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital), said, “It is important to know that women with early menopause are more likely to develop heart failure or atrial fibrillation than their peers.” She added that early menopause women might use the study’s findings to motivate them to make lifestyle changes related to heart disease, such as smoking cessation and regular exercise. The results of this study were published in the European Heart Journal and introduced by the American health media ‘Health Day’.
By Kim Young-seop, staff reporter edwdkim@kormedi.com
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