Synopsis
A recent study highlights that women experiencing menopause later in life enjoy healthier blood vessels, which significantly lowers their heart disease risk. This research provides insights into potential therapies for better vascular health among postmenopausal women.Key Takeaways
- Late-onset menopause correlates with healthier blood vessels.
- Women face increased heart disease risk post-menopause.
- Study identifies mechanisms behind benefits of delayed menopause.
- Late-onset menopause group shows better vascular health.
- Potential for new therapies to reduce heart disease risk.
New Delhi, Feb 5 (NationPress) Women who experience the onset of menopause at a later age possess healthier blood vessels, thereby lowering their risk of developing heart disease, according to a study released on Wednesday.
Typically, women have a lower likelihood of succumbing to heart attacks or strokes compared to men throughout most of their lives; however, research indicates that their risk significantly increases and even surpasses that of men after menopause.
Published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research, this study sheds light on why females who cease menstruating at 55 years or older are considerably less prone to heart attacks and strokes during their postmenopausal phase.
The research conducted by scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies, including dietary changes, aimed at mitigating the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among women.
“Our study reveals a physiological advantage associated with a later onset of menopause and is among the first to pinpoint the precise mechanisms responsible for these advantages,” 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 metric known as brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which measures how effectively the brachial artery—the primary blood vessel in the upper arm—expands in response to increased blood flow.
Findings indicated that all postmenopausal women exhibited a significantly compromised arterial function compared to their premenopausal counterparts.
Researchers noted that the onset of menopause triggers an accelerated decline in vascular health associated with aging.
However, roughly 10 percent of women who experience a late-onset menopause seem to be somewhat shielded from this phenomenon, according to senior author Matthew Rossman.
Specifically, the study revealed that vascular function in the late-onset menopause group was only 24 percent worse, whereas 51 percent of women in the normal-onset group had poorer vascular health.
Significantly, these differences between the groups persisted for five years or longer after menopause, with the late-onset group maintaining a 44 percent better vascular function compared to the normal onset group.
This health advantage in the late-onset group was linked to enhanced mitochondrial function, which resulted in a reduction of free radicals, the study concluded.
Moreover, the blood circulation of both groups displayed distinct characteristics, with the late-onset group exhibiting more favorable levels of 15 various lipid or fat-related metabolites.
“Our findings indicate that women who reach menopause at a later age possess a sort of natural, inherent protection against vascular dysfunction stemming from oxidative stress over time,” stated Rossman, an assistant research professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology.
