Women’s cardiovascular changes may begin nearly 20 years before menopause: Study

…nearly two decades before menopause. Dr Narender Singh Jhajhria, director professor and head of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and RML Hospital, said: “ In India, the incidence of women with coronary artery disease before menopause is increasing for sure, although oestrogen was supposed to be a protective factor for women. So, an early screening and modification of prevalent risk factors among younger women in their 30s should be considered. ” He added that the reasons could include the increasing prevalence of diabetes, lifestyle changes and metabolic syndrome or obesity in Indian women. What is striking in the new analysis is how early this transition…

…of monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight and other cardiovascular risk factors from early adulthood, particularly among those with a family history of heart disease or other risk factors. “ Heart disease prevention cannot begin when symptoms appear. It needs to start much earlier because cardiovascular risk factors and vascular changes can remain silent for years. For women, it is important not to assume that cardiovascular risk begins only after menopause ,” she said, adding that identifying and addressing the risk factors early could provide an opportunity to intervene before significant vascular changes or cardiovascular disease develop. Cardiologists also stress that…

…it mean that pulse pressure alone should determine treatment. The research is observational and cannot establish cause and effect. Dr Aparna Jaswal, director, cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, said women should use their 30s and 40s as a prevention window. Her advice includes regular blood pressure checks, monitoring cholesterol and blood sugar/HbA1c, keeping track of weight and waist circumference, assessing family history of premature heart disease, hypertension,…

…40s. The pattern remained the same regardless of whether women experienced menopause early, late or at the typical age. By around age 60, women consistently had higher pulse pressure than men, the researchers found. “ To our huge surprise, our results suggest that factors other than the timing of the final menstrual period were likely involved in the accelerated increase in pulse pressure in women after midlife ,” noted Gary F Mitchell, an investigator with the Framingham Heart Study. Pulse pressure is closely linked to the stiffening of the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel. The aorta carries oxygen-rich blood from the…