A study found that women with irregular periods have a higher risk of heart disease.
A study of over 58,000 healthy women in the UK who reported longer cycles at the start of a 12-year follow-up found that longer or shorter menstrual cycles were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or fibrillation. atrial (AFib).
The menstrual cycle is calculated from the first day of one cycle to the first day of the next cycle. The regular duration of the menstrual cycle is defined as the duration of 22 to 34 days throughout a woman’s reproductive life, which reflects the normal functioning of the appropriate hormonal systems between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovaries and is a vital indicator of overall health.
According to previous studies, irregular menstrual cycles are a common endocrine disorder, with about 20% of women having cycles of varying length.
Irregular menstrual cycles can be a nuisance to millions of women at best, but at worst they increase women’s risk of heart disease by 19 percent and irregular heart rhythm by 40 percent, according to a team of researchers in China.
The researchers found that 3.4% of women with irregular periods developed heart disease, compared with 2.5% of women with normal periods.
Irregular menstrual cycles are defined as those that are shorter than normal – less than 21 days – and longer than normal – more than 35 days.
“These results have important public health implications for the prevention of atrial fibrillation and heart attacks in women and highlight the importance of monitoring menstrual cycle characteristics throughout a woman’s reproductive life,” said Dr. Huijie Zhang, a professor at the Southern Medical University in China. lead author of the study.
According to the results published by the journal of American Heart Association, the median age of participants from the British Biobank was 46 years old, and none of them had cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.
After 11 years and 8 months, the researchers recorded 1,623 cardiovascular events in the participants, including 827 cases of coronary heart disease, 199 heart attacks, 271 strokes, 174 cases of heart failure, and 393 cases of atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat. may lead to the formation of blood clots.
More than 1.7% of women with irregular cycles develop coronary heart disease (CHD) as a result of plaque buildup on artery walls, which then limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
But only 1.3% of women with regular cycles developed coronary heart disease.
Approximately 0.6% of patients with regular cycles developed atrial fibrillation compared to approximately 1% of patients with irregular cycles.
The link between irregular menstrual cycles and heart disease is not entirely clear, although previous research has shown that it is strongly associated with several risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
The major hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle also affect cardiovascular function. And estrogen, which decreases after ovulation and then gradually rises, has a protective effect on the heart.
Estrogen helps tissues and blood vessels stay soft and supple, which promotes healthy blood flow, maintains low blood pressure, increases good cholesterol, and scavenges harmful free radicals.
Source: Daily Mail
