Uterine Fibroids Significantly Raise Risk of Heart Disease

"Although fibroids are very common, and heart disease is also the leading cause of death among women, potential links between the two have been historically understudied, study co-author Julia DiTosto, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, said in a recent statement. The findings suggest fibroids may function as a biomarker for screening patients who are at greater risk of cardiovascular problems, she added."

"In a new study, women diagnosed with these common growths had a more than 80 percent higher risk of developing heart disease over a 10-year period than their peers did By Claire Cameron edited by Clara Moskowitz Join Our Community of Science Lovers!Sign Up for Our Free Daily Newsletter Uterine fibroidscommon, often missed and frequently painful growths made of muscle and other tissue inside the uterusmay dramatically raise the risk of heart disease, a new paper finds."

Analysis of 2.7 million women showed that more than 450,000 diagnosed with uterine fibroids had over an 80 percent higher risk of developing heart disease within ten years compared with peers without fibroids. Participants under age 40 experienced a particularly strong association, with a 251 percent higher 10-year risk. Uterine fibroids are common—experts estimate as many as 80 percent of women develop them by age 50—and the condition often remains undiagnosed even when symptoms are painful. The association does not establish causation, but fibroids may function as a biomarker to screen patients at elevated cardiovascular risk. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com