Synopsis
A recent study reveals that women who undergo menopause later in life may enjoy healthier blood vessels, which reduces their risk of heart disease. This finding highlights the potential for new therapeutic approaches to heart health in postmenopausal women.Key Takeaways
- Later-onset menopause correlates with healthier blood vessels.
- Women experiencing menopause at age 55 or later face lower heart disease risk.
- Research could lead to new therapies for heart disease prevention.
- Physiological benefits of late menopause are identified.
- Differences in vascular health persist years after menopause.
New Delhi, Feb 5 (NationPress) Women experiencing menopause at a later age tend to have healthier blood vessels, thereby lowering their chances of developing heart disease, according to a study released on Wednesday.
While women generally face a lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke compared to men for most of their lives, research indicates that this risk increases significantly post-menopause, surpassing that of men.
This study, featured in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research, sheds light on the reasons why women who cease menstruating at age 55 or beyond are considerably less prone to heart attacks and strokes during their postmenopausal years.
Conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder in the US, the findings may pave the way for novel therapies, including dietary changes, aimed at mitigating the risk of heart disease—the leading cause of death among women.
"Our study reveals that there are physiological advantages to experiencing later-onset menopause, and it is among the first to pinpoint the specific mechanisms that contribute to these benefits," stated Sanna Darvish, a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Physiology at the university.
The research team evaluated the vascular health of 92 women in the US, focusing on a measure known as brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD)—assessing how effectively the brachial artery, the primary blood vessel in the upper arm, expands in response to increased blood flow.
The findings indicated that all postmenopausal women exhibited notably poorer arterial function compared to their premenopausal peers.
The researchers noted that menopause triggers an accelerated decline in vascular health related to aging.
However, the approximately 10 percent of women who experience late-onset menopause seem to be somewhat shielded from this decline, according to senior author Matthew Rossman.
Specifically, the study revealed that vascular function was merely 24 percent worse among the late-onset menopause group, whereas 51 percent of women in the normal-onset group demonstrated deteriorated vascular health.
Remarkably, these differences between the two groups persisted even five years after menopause, with the late-onset group still showing 44 percent better vascular function than their counterparts.
This health advantage among late-onset participants was linked to improved mitochondrial function, resulting in lower levels of free radicals, the study confirmed.
Blood analysis also revealed differences between the two groups, with the late-onset group exhibiting more favorable levels of 15 distinct lipid or fat-related metabolites.
"Our data suggests that women who undergo menopause at a later age possess a form of natural protection against vascular dysfunction that may arise from oxidative stress over time," remarked Rossman, an assistant research professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology.
