PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Ivanhoe Newswire)— For some women, menopause is more than annoying hot flashes and mood swings. Newly published research suggests those who accumulate fat in their abdomen during menopause are at a greater risk of heart disease.
It’s an age-old complaint for many middle-aged women. No matter what they do, extra weight seems to settle in the middle. Scientists say that could be harmful to their heart health.
“We were able to identify the time point at which women start to accumulate the fat in the abdomen in particular, women start to accumulate two years before their final menstrual period, Samar R. El Khoudary, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of epidemiology & Women’s Health Expert at Pitt Graduate School of Public Health, told Ivanhoe.
The scientists used CT scans to measure the adipose tissue or the fat surrounding the organs in a women’s abdomen. The researchers found the abdominal fat increased by about eight percent per year.
El Khoudary shared, “This increase happening during this period in particular put women at higher risk of developing carotid atherosclerosis.”
The researchers also used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the carotid artery lining in the neck and found for every 20 percent increase in belly fat, the thickness of the carotid artery grew by two percent, an early indicator of heart disease. El Khoudary says the earlier women know their risk, the earlier they can adopt lifestyle changes to lower their chances of developing heart disease.
Researchers say their findings also suggest that monitoring waist circumference at home or at a doctor’s office could be an important measure. Professor El Khoudary says women can use a tape measure at the waist about an inch below the lowest rib. According to the American Heart Association, a waist circumference of 35 inches or above for women could be an early signal of heart disease risk.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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Source:
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: MENOPAUSE: WEIGHT ON YOUR WAIST HURTS YOUR HEART!
REPORT: MB #4962
BACKGROUND: Menopause does not cause heart disease; however, certain risk factors involving menopause can increase the chances of developing heart disease. A high fat diet, smoking, or other unhealthy habits that can become an issue early on in life can also add to the risk of heart disease. Menopause in and of itself is not a disease, but rather the natural aging process every woman goes through. The onset of menopause is when women’s menstrual periods permanently stop. This can occur around age 54. There is an overall risk for heart disease in women ten years after they are menopausal. Family history can contribute to your risk for heart disease as well. Eliminating unhealthy habits like smoking, which can contribute to early menopause and increase the risk of developing blood clots and maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine can all decrease a woman’s risk of heart disease after menopause.
DIAGNOSING: During menopause, levels of estrogen drop significantly, causing hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia. After the age of 50, women are at risk for developing heart disease. A healthy lifestyle can reduce this. Quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising, eating well, and treating medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure can all reduce the risk of heart disease in menopausal women. When the estrogen in women drops, they can develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and weight gain. Heart disease symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, pressure in the chest, headaches, lightheadedness or dizziness, jaw ache, swelling of the feet, and difficulty lying flat. While menopausal symptoms are normal, experiencing anything heart related should be discussed with a doctor since there is a higher risk of developing heart disease.
(Sources: https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-heart-disease, https://www.everydayhealth.com/atrial-fibrillation/symptoms/eight-signs-of-heart-changes-during-menopause/)
NEW RESEARCH: Studies are still being done to see if hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease in menopausal women. At the present time, the study shows it should not be used as the primary or secondary tactic in reducing heart disease in women. However, there is recent evidence suggesting that women in early menopause with good cardiovascular health and who are low risk of developing heart disease could be considered for hormone therapy as a treatment to prevent heart disease. If a woman is older than 65, hormone therapy is not recommended.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
ALLISON HYDZIK
412-600-6049
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