According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, women with irregular periods, which are longer or shorter than average, have I have a higher risk of certain heart problems.
Research has found that women whose menstrual cycles fall outside the normal 22- to 34-day range have an increased overall risk of conditions such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, and atrial fibrillation compared to women with cycles within that range. Risk is faced.
Regular menstrual cycle length, which indicates proper function of the hormone system linking the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries, is an important indicator of overall health.
However, about 20% of women experience irregular cycle length.
Previous studies have already shown a link between irregular periods and heart disease risk factors such as insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Some studies also suggest that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may increase the risk of irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias.
Senior author Dr. Huji Zhang, who works at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, highlighted the need to explore these risk factors given the increasing prevalence of heart disease and related deaths. , especially in western countries 45% of women are affected by it. .
The study analyzed data from 58,056 women registered in the UK Biobank, a comprehensive UK health database, to investigate the relationship between menstrual cycle length and heart disease.
The participants, who had an average age of 46 and who had not yet reached menopause or had heart disease at the start of the study, were followed up from 2006 to 2019.
During a median follow-up period of 11.8 years, the researchers found that women with menstrual irregularities had a 19 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart attack, atrial fibrillation, stroke and heart failure. Included. Women with regular length cycles.
Specifically, shorter cycles were associated with a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease, while longer cycles were associated with an 11 percent increased risk.
When examining the risk for specific conditions, the study found that shorter cycles were associated with a 38 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation, while longer cycles were associated with a 30 percent increased risk of the same condition.
However, menstrual cycle length did not show an increased risk of stroke or heart failure.
Dr. Zhang emphasized that his: “The analysis indicates that women with menstrual irregularities may experience adverse cardiovascular health outcomes.”
However, it should be noted that the effects of menopause on menstrual cycle length cannot be ruled out in this study, as the data included mainly women aged 40 to 69 years.
Furthermore, because the study population consisted mostly of white women, these findings may not be generalizable to women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Nevertheless, according to Dr. Zhang, the study results highlight the importance of monitoring menstrual cycle characteristics throughout a woman’s reproductive life.