Long-Term Heart Health and Menopause: Four Essential Factors Identified
In a significant study conducted on over 3,000 women participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), researchers have highlighted four key factors that can impact the future cardiovascular health of menopausal women: sleep quality, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and nicotine use.
The study, led by senior author Samar R. El Khoudary, revealed that these factors are particularly significant for menopausal women, as they are often overlooked as preventive measures. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women, and identifying and controlling risk factors during menopause can have a significant impact on their health.
Poor sleep quality is a critical risk factor for cardiovascular health during menopause. This is because sleep disturbances, such as hot flashes and night sweats, are common in this stage of life. Moreover, sleep quality is crucial for long-term heart health, as it can affect blood pressure, glucose levels, and overall health.
High blood pressure is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. Maintaining optimal blood pressure is essential to reduce the risk of developing these conditions. Similarly, maintaining optimal blood glucose levels is important to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Avoiding nicotine use is vital, as smoking or nicotine consumption significantly increases cardiovascular risks. The study found associations between these factors and the future risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) assessment identifies eight key factors influencing cardiovascular health. The LE8 includes being more active, controlling cholesterol, eating better, getting healthy sleep, managing blood pressure, managing blood sugar, managing weight, and quitting tobacco.
Nissi Suppogu, one of the study's researchers, explained that declining estrogen production during menopause leads to changes at a cellular level that can negatively impact heart health. Lower estrogen levels around menopause play a significant role in cardiovascular health outcomes, but it is not enough to just replace hormones.
The study found that women undergo many significant changes in their cardiovascular health during menopause, including an increase in visceral fat, risk of metabolic syndrome, change in vascular health, and sleep disturbances.
Samar R. El Khoudary emphasized the importance of women in midlife focusing on the components of Life's Essential 8 to protect their cardiovascular health in the ensuing years. She also emphasized the need to address barriers to living up to Life's Essential 8 and improve awareness.
As more than 1 billion women globally are expected to be in menopause in 2025, it is crucial to find other interventions and treatments that can work in the pre, perimenopausal environment to improve cardiovascular health. The link between LE8 scores' impact on cardiovascular health and sleep could spark further research into sleep interventions and their effects on heart health.
The study did not test whether targeting specific LE8 components leads to better outcomes than focusing on other factors, but this is an important question for future clinical trials to explore. Cheng-Han Chen reinforced the importance of risk factor management in preventing future cardiovascular events across all demographics.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and identifying and controlling risk factors during menopause can have a significant impact on their health.
- Poor sleep quality is a critical risk factor for cardiovascular health during menopause, as sleep disturbances like hot flashes and night sweats are common in this stage of life.
- Maintaining optimal blood pressure and blood glucose levels is important to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in menopausal women.
- Avoiding nicotine use is vital, as smoking or nicotine consumption significantly increases cardiovascular risks for menopausal women.
- The American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) identifies eight key factors influencing cardiovascular health, and researchers emphasize the importance of women in midlife focusing on these components to protect their cardiovascular health in the ensuing years.
