A woman’s age at menopause may provide important clues about her future heart health, according to a major new study published in Menopause.
Scientists found that women who experienced menopause before turning 40 were significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who reached menopause after age 45.
The study followed 107,836 postmenopausal women from the UK Biobank for nearly 15 years. Researchers tracked new diagnoses of hypertension while taking into account many other factors known to influence heart health, including smoking, body weight, family history, exercise and blood test results.
Hypertension developed in 17.2% of all participants during the study. However, the risk was not evenly distributed.
Women with early menopause had higher rates of hypertension, and those with premature menopause had the highest rates. Statistical analysis showed that premature menopause remained associated with a 12.3% increase in risk even after extensive adjustments.
An especially interesting finding was that cardiovascular risk appeared to peak among women whose menopause occurred between the ages of 25 and 35. This suggests that women entering menopause at a very young age may require particularly careful long-term medical follow-up.
The researchers also compared natural menopause with menopause caused by surgery. Initial results suggested surgery increased hypertension risk, but this relationship disappeared after considering other medical and lifestyle differences. Age at menopause therefore appeared to be the stronger predictor.
Scientists have long suspected that declining estrogen levels influence blood vessel function and heart health. Previous studies linked early menopause with heart attacks and strokes, but evidence regarding high blood pressure has been mixed. This new research helps clarify the picture by studying a very large population over many years.
The authors recommend that healthcare professionals routinely ask women about the age they reached menopause and include this information when assessing cardiovascular risk. Earlier blood pressure checks, healthy lifestyle advice and appropriate hormone therapy may help lower future health problems for selected women.
The findings do not mean every woman with premature menopause will develop hypertension, nor do they prove that menopause directly causes high blood pressure. Even so, the study provides strong evidence that earlier menopause is an important warning sign that should not be overlooked.
Published in Menopause, the research could improve prevention strategies by encouraging earlier screening and individualized care for women at increased cardiovascular risk.
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Source: The Menopause Society.
