Menopause may have a profound effect on heart health, yet many people are unaware of this important relationship.
Hormonal shifts occurring during menopause mark the end of a woman’s breeding years and contribute to the increasing risk of heart disease, The most common cause of death among women globallyAs the level of estrogen falls, changes in cholesterol, Blood pressure, Swelling And fat distribution Can lead plaque buildup in blood vesselsWhich is a major cause of heart disease.
Hormone therapy has been prescribed to remove the symptoms of prolonged menopause, but 2002 published research And 2004 expressed concern Regarding its safety, especially about heart health. Leaded those findings Years of confusion and debateHowever, hormone therapy was already determined to prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, medical guidelines. It is no longer recommended for this purpose Based on this pre -research.
Study as a cardiologist Prevention of heart disease in menopause womenI check how hormone changes affect heart health and how to improve treatment to reduce the risk of heart disease. Since research highlights menopause and heart health, it is clear that hormone therapy used to treat symptoms of menopause in young, healthy women is not only safe for heart, but can also provide some cardiovascular benefits.
Estrogen-Cardiovascular Link explained
Menopause, identified as 12 consecutive months without a menstruation, marks A woman’s breeding year end And usually occur between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Leading infection for menopause, Known as perimenoposeCan last for many years and are characterized by the levels of ups and downs of hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes often cause symptoms such as warm glow, night sweat and sleep disturbances.
It is less widely known that menopause and lack of estrogen also change the heart and blood vessels. Estrogen has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, and it may decline Rigidity of blood vessel increasedAs a result of high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high inflammation, and fat deposition, which leads to a greater risk of heart disease.
Connected: Women are more at risk of dying of heart disease. here’s why.
One reason for this is that estrogen Helps keep blood vessels flexible And Supports the production of nitric oxideA molecule that allows vessels to relax and maintain healthy blood flow. Estrogen too Affects how the body processes Cholesterol helps in changing cholesterol to reduce plaque buildups in arterial walls. When estrogen levels fall during menopause, These protective factors are reducedMaking the arteries susceptible to hard, plaque buildup and inflammation. These biological processes increase the risk of long -term heart disease.
Rocky history of hormone therapy
Hormone therapy reinforces a synthetic derivative of progesterone, using a combination of estrogen or estrogen and progestin alone and restores the level of estrogen and Effectively treats menopause symptomsIt comes with some risks, however, which depends on factors The age of a woman, the time after menopause begins and overall health,
The medical community’s approach to hormone therapy has been dramatically transferred over the years. In the 1970s, hormone therapy was widely Promoted as a fountain of youth And was usually determined Stop chronic diseases related to age Such as heart attack and stroke.
Then, in the early 2000s, women health initiatives, one of the largest clinical trials testing oral hormone therapy in women, found one, one found. The risk of stroke and breast cancer increased Among those who used hormone therapy. Doctors suddenly stopped determining it, and medical guidelines transferred their recommendations, stating that there were more risk than profit in treatment.
However, additional analysis of data from women’s health initiative indicates researchers along with the results of further studies. TimolisalWhich suggests that the risk and benefits of hormone therapy depend on this when treatment starts.
According to time hypothesis, hormone therapy may reduce the risk of heart disease in women of menopause that starts it. Starts before 60 years of age and 10 years of menopauseAnd which are otherwise in good health. Women who start hormone therapy much later – after the onset of menopause after 60 or 10 years of age – may increase cardiovascular risks instead.
A personal approach to the treatment of menopause
My research supports this idea. In a 2019 study, my colleagues and I analyzed data from 31 clinical trials Women who started hormone therapy at different ageAnd we found that women under the age of 60 use hormone therapy, live longer and are less likely to die from heart disease. However, in our study, an increased risk in blood clots and stroke with hormone therapy found stroke. The risk was present in women of menopause under 60 years of age and continued to grow with women growing up.
Additionally, research has shown that Different ways to take hormone therapy Its effect on heart health can affect. For example, using estrogen patches worn on the skin may reduce the risk of blood clots compared to hormone therapy taken as a pill.
This is the reason Fenomanon is called the first pass metabolismThe hormone therapy taken from the mouth is processed by the liver before entering the bloodstream. The liver produces clots, which increases the risk of blood clots. Conversely, estrogen patch gives medicine In the bloodstream, bypassing the liverAnd do not increase this risk.
Overall, we found that women who take oral hormone therapy Cholesterol levels are lowAnd this intention remained over in many years. For healthy young women who are within 10 years of the onset of menopause, hormone therapy is safe from a heart point and can also provide benefits.
However, hormone is therapy Still not recommended For women with existing heart disease, history of blood clots, pre -stroke, gallbladder disease or certain types of cancer.
Medical experts now believe that the recommendations of blankets are not appropriate for or against hormone therapy. Instead, the decisions of treatment should be individual, such as age, since time menopause begins and overall health.
If you are considering hormone therapy, it is important to discuss risks and benefits with your health care provider.
Here are the questions to consider asking your health care provider:
- Am I a good candidate for hormone therapy based on my health history?
- What are the risks and benefits of starting hormone therapy at my age?
- What type of hormone therapy, such as bullets, patch or gel, is the safest and most effective for me?
- How long should I stay on hormone therapy?
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