Menopause should be taken into consideration! European Society of Cardiology: Estrogen linked to cardiovascular risk
The hormonal changes that occur in women during menopause not only lead to reduced parathyroid hormone function, rapid bone loss and prone to back pain or fractures, but may also lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease? A recent study published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) pointed out that hormonal changes in menopausal women may be related to a direct decline in cardiovascular health, and called on women not to ignore the related risks.
85 metabolites are affected by estrogen, cardiovascular problems rise sharply in postmenopausal women
The University of Jyväskylä in Finland recruited 218 postmenopausal women who were not using estrogen replacement therapy, and obtained 180 kinds of body metabolites (including lipids, lipoproteins, amines) from blood samples of the subjects every 3-6 months. amino acids, etc.) and measure the levels of two hormones, estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone, in their bodies. The subjects were asked to write a menstrual diary to evaluate their physical status and whether they experienced any strong discomfort such as chest tightness and chest pain during this period.
During the study period, 35 women (about 15% of the population) started taking estrogen replacement therapy to serve as a control group. After 14 months of follow-up, the research team analyzed blood samples and found that the fluctuations in estrogen concentrations during menopause led to changes in 85 metabolites in the subjects’ bodies, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and fatty acids. , amino acids, etc., with effect sizes ranging from 2.1% to 11.2%.
The research team showed that changes in the concentration of metabolites in women are significantly related to the risk of cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If the subjects have bad behaviors such as obesity, unbalanced diet, smoking, alcoholism, etc., the probability of suffering from cardiovascular disease after menopause may be higher than that of healthy women.
How to reduce cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women? Expert: Alternative treatments may be feasible measures
Study author Dr. Eija K. Laakkonen pointed out that subjects who took estrogen replacement therapy during the study period had an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol; in contrast, low-density lipoprotein decreased significantly, indicating that the therapy May play a protective role in cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
Laakkonen explained that previous studies have shown that menopause is the peak period for cardiovascular disease in women, especially in women aged 48 to 52 years old. Menopause has been linked to increased levels of metabolites that promote heart disease, but research from the University of Jyväskylä is the first to link this transition to changes in estrogen in women.
“Menopause is inevitable, which means that women’s cardiovascular risks may also increase at the same time. However, cardiovascular risks can be reduced through healthier eating methods, such as the DESH diet, the Mediterranean diet, or regular exercise.” Laakkonen said that during menopause, Women should pay more attention to the fat content in their diet and take adequate exercise measures to maintain cardiopulmonary health.
“Concerning estrogen replacement therapy, we cannot yet draw very strong conclusions based on our observational study alone because the number of women taking treatment was small and the types of drugs were not controlled. However, the results indicate that during menopause, Early initiation of alternative therapies may be effective in providing cardiovascular protection. However, due to the large number of alternative treatment options and potential contraindications (such as a history of cancer or stroke), Laakkonen urges women considering alternative treatments to consult with their medical provider. Professionals will decide whether to implement it after thorough discussion.
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Hormonal changes during menopause are directly related to decline in cardiovascular health
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