Common period problems could raise risk of heart disease by 41%, study finds
HAVING common period problems like heavy periods or endometriosis could raise your risk of heart disease by up to 41 per cent, a study suggests.
Sufferers may also be 33 per cent more likely to get conditions affecting blood flow to the brain, scientists said.
Doctors need to be more aware of the link between gynaecological conditions and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease so they can help reduce the risk, they stated.
Endometriosis is a common and debilitating condition that happens when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows on other organs.
It’s thought that 1.5 million women in the UK suffer from it.
Scientists have previously linked endometriosis to an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Now research published to the journal Heart suggests that endometriosis and three other common period issues can up risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease – conditions affecting blood flow to the brain.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), heavy periods, and irregular menstrual cycles were also included in the analysis.
One in 10 women in the UK are thought to have PCOS, which affects how the ovaries work, causing irregular periods, excess body or facial hair and problems with fertility.
Your period might be irregular if the gap between each one varies, spanning less than 21 days or more than 35.
And if you’re having to use more than one period product at once or change pads and tampons every couple hours, this could mean your periods are particularly heavy.
Researchers scoured databases for relevant studies published up to April 2024, including 28 studies – covering a total of 3,271,242 people – in their analysis.
They found that people with at least one of these four conditions had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease compared to people who didn’t.
Specifically, their risk of ischaemic heart disease was 41 per cent higher, while their risk of cerebrovascular disease alone was 33 per cent higher.
Further analysis showed that the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease was higher among people with PCOS or endometriosis.
Researchers said there may be biological pathways linking cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and common gynaecological disorders, including systemic inflammation and oestrogen production.
They noted that inflammation is a factor in both endometriosis and PCOS.
They wrote: “When considering endometriosis specifically, the mechanism believed to link this condition to increased cardiovascular risk is systemic inflammation.
“As such, inflammation may be an underlying mechanism for an association between common gynaecological disorders and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.”
There may also be an overlap between gynaecological risk factors and cardiovascular risk factors, they suggested, pointing out that metabolic syndrome – a group of health problems that put you at risk of type 2 diabetes or conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels – is often present in people with PCOS.
The study wasn’t without its limitations, as researchers noted that over 50 per cent of studies included in their analysis were flagged as having a very high risk of bias.
Symptoms of endometriosis
Endometriosis is where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body.
Endometriosis is often found in areas around the womb, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and lining of the pelvis.
It also sometimes affects organs, such as the bladder and bowel. Rarely, endometriosis is found in areas outside the pelvis, such as in the chest.
Symptoms happen when patches of endometriosis break down and bleed during your period but cannot leave your body.
You might have some symptoms during your period, such as:
- Severe period pain, that stops you from doing your normal activities
- Heavy periods, where you need to change your pads or tampons every one to two hours, or you may bleed through to your clothes.
- Pain when you poo or pee
You can have other symptoms at any time in your menstrual cycle, such as:
- Pain in your lower tummy and back (pelvic area)
- Pain during or after sex
- Extreme tiredness
- Pain or bleeding in other areas, such as in the chest, which may cause shortness of breath and coughing up blood
You may also have difficulty getting pregnant and have low mood or anxiety.
Source: NHS
Meanwhile, studies included in their analysis didn’t touch upon several aspects of cardiovascular disease, such as atrial fibrillation – a type of heart rhythm problem.
“The association between cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and common gynaecological disorders requires further exploration with high-quality longitudinal studies adjusted for confounders to establish temporal relationships and causality,” they said.
They concluded: “Although the extent of this association is still to be explored, and causality has not been established, the findings suggest that it is important to raise awareness of the potential association…. both in the general public and healthcare professionals.
“Awareness of this association would allow healthcare professionals to advise patients regarding risk-reducing behavioural changes and interventions, to potentially prevent or delay the onset of, or reduce the severity of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.”
When heavy periods could be something sinister
WHEN it comes to periods, there is a textbook definition of normal – but then there is also what a normal period looks like for you.
For some (lucky) people, these definitions overlap; for others, they don’t.
The NHS recognises a ‘normal period’ as losing between 30 and 60ml, or six to eight teaspoonfuls, each month. A ‘heavy’ period’ is anything more than 80ml.
Another, arguably simpler, way of working out whether your period is heavy is to count the number of pads or tampons you use.
Having to change a pad or tampon every one to two hours, or emptying a menstrual cup more often than is recommended, is a sign your period is heavy.
An NHS test can also help reveal whether your periods are heavy and if it’s worth seeing your GP.
Dr Fran Yarlett, GP and medical director at The Lowdown, said: “Heavy periods can be normal for some people.
“But if your periods have changed and become heavier, this can signify medical problems.” This could be:
- Early-stage cervical cancer
- Fibroids (non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb)
- Perimenopause (the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause)
- Hypothyroidism (when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones
- Endometriosis (tissue similar to that in the womb grows in other areas of the body)