Menopause is a natural stage of life that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual periods. For most women it happens between the ages of 45 and 55, but some experience menopause much earlier.
A large new study suggests that women who enter menopause before the age of 40 may face a higher risk of developing high blood pressure later in life. The findings were published in the journal Menopause.
High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
It often develops without noticeable symptoms, which is why it is sometimes called the ‘silent killer.’ Identifying people at higher risk allows doctors to monitor blood pressure earlier and encourage healthy lifestyle changes before complications occur.
Researchers analyzed health information from 107,836 postmenopausal women enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010. The participants were followed for a median of almost 15 years through the end of 2023.
The women were grouped according to the age they reached menopause, including normal menopause after age 45, early menopause between 40 and 45, and premature menopause before age 40.
During the study, more than 18,500 women developed high blood pressure. Women who reached menopause after age 45 had the lowest rate, while the risk increased steadily among those with earlier menopause. About 22.6% of women with premature menopause developed hypertension compared with 16.6% of women whose menopause occurred after age 45.
Even after accounting for more than 50 factors, including body weight, lifestyle, family history and laboratory results, premature menopause remained linked to a 12.3% higher risk of high blood pressure. The researchers also found that the greatest risk appeared among women whose menopause occurred between 25 and 35 years of age.
The study also examined women who experienced surgical menopause. Although these women initially appeared more likely to develop hypertension, the difference disappeared after other health factors were considered. This suggests that the age at menopause itself may be more important than how menopause occurs.
Researchers believe hormone changes may partly explain the findings. Estrogen helps support healthy blood vessels, and losing it many years earlier than normal could gradually increase cardiovascular risk. However, changes in weight, metabolism and other health conditions may also contribute, making this an area for further study.
Dr. Stephanie Faubion of The Menopause Society said the findings highlight the importance of regular screening for cardiovascular risk factors in women with premature menopause. Hormone therapy is also commonly recommended until the usual age of menopause when appropriate and safe.
The research suggests that doctors should consider early menopause an independent cardiovascular risk factor rather than simply a reproductive event.
Because this was an observational study, it cannot prove that early menopause directly causes hypertension. Nevertheless, the large sample size and long follow-up make the findings important and support earlier blood pressure monitoring for affected women.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Source: The Menopause Society.
