Irregular, long menstrual cycles up risk for CVD
Findings persist even after accounting for subsequent CVD risk factors
Irregular and long menstrual cycles are associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease, according to US research.
The study explored associations between menstrual cycle characteristics across the reproductive life span and the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
An analysis by Dr Yi-Xin Wang (PhD), from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues included 80,630 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II with 24 years of follow-up.
The researchers found that compared with women reporting very regular cycles at the same ages, women who had irregular cycles or no periods at ages 14 to 17, 18 to 22, or 29 to 46 years had a higher risk for CVD (hazard ratios 1.15, 1.36, and 1.40, respectively).
