A recent study published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society unveiled the health risks associated with high blood pressure among pregnant women.
Conducted by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), researchers found that high blood pressure during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of diabetes, coronary artery disease, and serious cardiovascular symptoms. In addition, high blood pressure may also exacerbate menopause symptoms.
The new NAMS-led study included more than 2,000 female participants. By comprehending the association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and menopause symptoms, like hot flashes, researchers could pinpoint any potential for an increased risk of cardiovascular disease as a result.
“The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between a history of HDP and menopause symptoms,” a NAMS press release states. “In the end, it was concluded that women with a history of HDP experienced more severe menopause symptoms compared with women without a history of HDP or with women without a pregnancy.”
The news release continues by stating, “On more detailed analysis, the researchers additionally found that women with HDP using hormone therapy had significantly higher total menopause symptoms than women with no such history.”
Overall, the study uncovers a significant association between HDP and menopause symptoms, in which both are predictive markers of cardiovascular disease risk.
“Future studies are needed to determine whether these risks are additive to better inform development of more accurate models for cardiovascular risk prediction in women and strategies for risk reduction,” according to the study’s lead author, Stephanie Faubion.
