New Delhi: Women with endometriosis, a chronic gynaecological illness, are 35% more likely to have a serious heart attack, according to a study released on Thursday. They also had a 20% higher risk of ischaemic stroke than individuals without endometriosis.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue identical to the uterine lining develops outside the uterus, such as in the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It is more common in women aged 30 to 40 and can result in severe pelvic pain and abnormal or heavy menstrual flow.
There is currently no cure or strategy to avoid endometriosis. Its symptoms can be managed with medications.
While men have long been recognised to be at a higher risk of heart disease, a study conducted by Danish researchers found that women with endometriosis have a 35% increased risk of acute myocardial infarction.
The study found that the 40-year cumulative incidence of both disorders was 17.5% and 15.3%, respectively.
“For decades, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been thought of as a man’s disease, and risk factors have been considered from the male perspective, for example, including erectile dysfunction in guidelines on CVD risk assessment. Yet, one in three women die from CVD, and one in 10 women suffer from endometriosis,” said lead author Dr Eva Havers-Borgersen from Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
“Our results suggest that it may be time to routinely consider the risk of CVD in women with endometriosis,” she added.
The study used data from Danish registries that included women diagnosed with endometriosis between 1977 and 2021.
The investigation included 242,032 matched controls and 60,508 women with endometriosis. The controls were followed for up to 45 years, with a median follow-up time of 16 years.
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Women with endometriosis were also more likely to get arrhythmias and heart failure. According to the study, women with endometriosis should have their cardiovascular risk assessed and female-specific risk factors included in cardiovascular risk prediction models.
This research, which will be presented at the upcoming European Cardiology Congress in London (August 30-September 2), has the potential to significantly influence future research and healthcare practices in women’s health and cardiovascular diseases.
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–IANS
