"When menopause happens before age 40, women still have more than half of their life expectancy ahead of them. Understanding their cumulative lifetime risk of blockage-related heart disease is critical. The findings suggest that doctors should routinely ask women about age at menopause, using the menopausal transition as an opportunity to identify higher-risk women and intervene earlier."
"Women who enter natural menopause before age 40 face about a 40 percent higher lifetime risk of developing coronary heart disease than women who experience menopause later. Premature menopause was three times more common among Black women than white women (15.5 percent vs. 4.8 percent). The disparity likely reflects a complex mix of life-course exposures, health conditions and structural inequities rather than solely inherent biological differences."
"Coronary heart disease is a condition where the heart's arteries become blocked or narrowed by a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque. By restricting blood flow to the heart, these plaques can lead to sudden events (heart attacks) or gradual damage (weakened heart muscle)."
A Northwestern Medicine study of over 10,000 U.S. women found that premature menopause before age 40 increases lifetime coronary heart disease risk by approximately 40 percent. Black women experience premature menopause at three times the rate of white women (15.5 percent versus 4.8 percent), likely due to cumulative life-course exposures, health conditions, and structural inequities rather than biological differences alone. Coronary heart disease develops when fatty deposits block or narrow heart arteries, restricting blood flow and potentially causing heart attacks or gradual heart muscle damage. Researchers recommend doctors routinely ask women about menopause age to identify higher-risk individuals and intervene earlier, particularly important since premature menopause leaves women with over half their life expectancy remaining.
#premature-menopause #coronary-heart-disease #black-women-health-disparities #cardiovascular-risk #womens-health
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