Women with endometriosis were 35 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and 20 percent more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke.
Women with endometriosis, a debilitating condition, are more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes, a new study has found. Endometriosis, a very painful condition, occurs when uterine tissue that normally grows inside the organ grows outside it. Cysts, scar tissue and other conditions can infiltrate nearby organs, causing pain and fertility problems.
The research, conducted by Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital in the Danish capital, was presented last week at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. “One in three women die from cardiovascular disease and one in ten women suffer from endometriosis,” said Dr. Eva Havers-Borgersen, the study’s director, in a news release from the meeting. “Our results suggest that it may be time to routinely consider the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with endometriosis.”
The risk of heart attack is 35 percent higher for those with endometriosis
According to the researchers, they analyzed information from a Danish database that identified cases of endometriosis among more than 60,000 women between 1977 and 2021. The study team compared those women’s heart attack and stroke rates to rates in more than 242,000 age-matched women without endometriosis and followed them for at least 16 years.
The study found that women with endometriosis were 35 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and 20 percent more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke. Endometriosis also increased the odds of cardiac arrhythmia by 21 percent and heart failure by 11 percent, the Danish study said.
“These results provide further evidence that female-specific risk factors and cardiovascular disease in women need further attention,” Havers-Borgersen said. “We suggest that women with endometriosis undergo cardiovascular disease risk assessment, and now is the time for female-specific risk factors, such as endometriosis, but also gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, to be taken into account in cardiovascular risk prediction models.”
How is endometriosis related to heart problems?
In endometriosis, which affects at least 10 percent of women worldwide, tissue similar to that found inside the uterus begins to grow in other areas of the body. According to experts, this tissue then affects areas of the pelvis and parts of the reproductive system, including the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
This buildup of extra tissue around the ovaries and fallopian tubes causes inflammation that experts say can affect the heart anywhere in the body. Inflammation causes the body to function in a state of high stress, which also increases heart rate and blood pressure levels.
Inflammation also makes it easier for blockages to form in arteries throughout the body, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and other arterial diseases.
How can women with endometriosis reduce their risk of heart disease?
According to experts, to minimize the risk of heart disease, it is important to diagnose and treat endometriosis, along with some lifestyle changes, including:
- Control chronic diseases
- Eat a heart-healthy diet that focuses on plant-based proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise regularly to help reduce inflammation and in turn reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Maintain a healthy weight by eating healthy and exercising regularly.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco products.
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