Early Menopause Increases Heart Disease Risk by 40%

Research published in JAMA Cardiology indicates that women who experience natural menopause before the age of 40 have a 40% increased lifetime risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to those who undergo menopause at the typical age. The study analyzed data from 10,000 postmenopausal women aged 55 to 69, participating in six long-term U.S. studies conducted from 1964 to 2018.

None of the women had coronary heart disease at the study's start, and the research recorded 1,000 cases of coronary heart disease, including heart attacks and deaths related to the condition. The study adjusted for established risk factors such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Lead author Dr. Priya Freaney, a cardiologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized that menopause timing has significant implications for heart health. Dr. Ryhm Radjef, director of the Women’s Heart and Cardio Obstetrics Program at Henry Ford Health, noted that early menopause may reflect underlying inflammatory and metabolic changes that increase cardiovascular risk.