A brand new UC Davis Well being examine finds that weight problems and the age at which ladies enter menopause could have vital impacts on their coronary heart failure danger.
The examine analyzed the elevated danger of coronary heart failure related to elevated BMI (physique mass index) and waist circumference amongst ladies as they enter menopause. It pointed to the significance of clinicians contemplating the affected person’s weight administration and reproductive historical past, together with menopause, when evaluating the danger of coronary heart failure.
The examine was printed within the Journal of the American Coronary heart Affiliation, a journal of the American Coronary heart Affiliation.
Coronary heart failure is a severe well being situation. It occurs when the center can not pump sufficient blood and oxygen to assist different organs within the physique. Hypertension, diabetes and weight problems are a number of the danger elements linked to coronary heart failure.
“It was not clear the affect of age at time of menopause, particularly late menopause occurring at age 55 or older, on the danger of coronary heart failure,” mentioned Imo Ebong, affiliate professor at UC Davis Cardiovascular Drugs and lead investigator of the examine. “We all know that weight problems will increase the danger of growing coronary heart failure, and the onset of menopause is linked to elevated physique fats.”
A lady’s age when she enters menopause is a key issue, and girls ought to share this info with their physicians to information in estimating their danger of growing coronary heart failure.”—Imo A. Ebong
The researchers investigated if and the way weight problems impacts the connection between menopausal age and the long run danger of growing coronary heart failure. They analyzed well being knowledge for postmenopausal ladies collaborating within the Atherosclerosis Threat in Communities (ARIC) examine.
ARIC research long-term tendencies in hospitalized coronary heart assault and coronary coronary heart illness deaths. It consists of greater than 15,000 individuals, aged 35 to 84, residing in 4 numerous communities in North Carolina, Mississippi, Minneapolis and Maryland.
The investigators analyzed knowledge for 4,441 postmenopausal ladies: (82% with a historical past of pure menopause and the remainder entered menopause as a consequence of surgical procedure). The common age was 63.5 years on the time of the survey. There have been 903 coronary heart failure occasions in the course of the follow-up interval.
They categorised individuals into 4 teams based mostly on their age after they entered menopause: youthful than 45 years, 45-49 years, 50-54 years, and 55 years and older.
Outcomes indicated connections between menopausal age, BMI and waist circumference, and coronary heart failure danger. For each six-point improve in BMI, the danger of growing coronary heart failure elevated 39% for the ladies within the menopause-before-age-45 group; 33% for these within the age 45-49 group; and doubled in ladies within the late menopause group (age 55 or older). Larger BMI was not related to elevated coronary heart failure danger in ladies who reached menopause between ages 50-54.
We had anticipated that the impact of weight problems on coronary heart failure danger could be best amongst ladies who had skilled early menopause. This was not the case. The detrimental results of weight problems on coronary heart failure danger have been best amongst ladies who skilled late menopause.” —Imo A. Ebong
For each 6-inch improve in waist circumference, the danger of growing coronary heart failure virtually tripled among the many ladies who entered menopause at age 55 years or older. Waist circumference didn’t considerably elevate the danger of coronary heart failure for girls in any of the opposite menopausal age teams.
“We had anticipated that the impact of weight problems on coronary heart failure danger could be best amongst ladies who had skilled early menopause. This was not the case,” Ebong mentioned. “The detrimental results of weight problems on coronary heart failure danger have been best amongst ladies who skilled late menopause.”
Ebong and her fellow investigators plan to proceed their analysis to higher perceive sex-specific coronary heart failure danger and supply steering on screening and prevention applications.
“A lady’s age when she enters menopause is a key issue, and girls ought to share this info with their physicians to information in estimating their danger of growing coronary heart failure,” Ebong mentioned. “Ladies with early menopause must be knowledgeable of their elevated danger and endorsed to undertake wholesome way of life and behavioral adjustments. Ladies with late menopause must be significantly endorsed to take care of a wholesome physique weight and stop weight problems to lower their danger of future coronary heart failure.”
