Related Experiment Videos
Age at menopause as a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality
Y T van der Schouw1, Y van der Graaf, E W Steyerberg
1Department of Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Lancet (London, England)
|March 16, 1996
Summary
Women experiencing early menopause face a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. Delayed menopause, however, is associated with a decreased risk, suggesting estrogen
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The link between menopause, estrogen deficiency, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is debated.
- Previous studies have yielded inconclusive results regarding this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the age of menopause and the risk of cardiovascular mortality.
- To determine if earlier menopause correlates with increased CVD mortality.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 12,115 postmenopausal women in the Netherlands was followed for up to 20 years.
- Data on menopausal status, age at menopause, and cardiovascular risk factors were collected.
- Life-table and Cox regression analyses, adjusted for biological age, were used to assess mortality risk.
Main Results:
- Women with earlier menopause exhibited a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.
- Each year's delay in menopause was associated with a 2% decrease in cardiovascular mortality risk (HR 0.982, p=0.01).
- The protective effect of delayed menopause was more pronounced at younger biological ages.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis that longer exposure to endogenous estrogens offers protection against cardiovascular diseases.
- Early menopause may represent a more significant risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, particularly at younger biological ages.