Premenstrual symptoms affect cardiovascular health

Stockholm, July 16 – A study published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research suggests that women currently diagnosed with premenstrual disorder have a 10 percent higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The study, conducted nationwide between 2001 and 2022, by Sweden's Karolinska Institute, included nearly 100,000 women. It found that the risk was especially pronounced among women with premenstrual disorders diagnosed before age 25 and those who suffered from postpartum depression.

Premenstrual symptoms, which appear a few days before menstruation and then disappear, include premenstrual syndrome and its more severe form, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and can be both psychological and physical.

To enhance the effectiveness of this research, the authors also compared sisters, allowing them to control for shared genetic and social factors, such as education.

The link between premenstrual symptoms and cardiovascular diseases remained even when variables such as smoking, body mass index, and mental health were considered in the study.

Elevated levels of chronic inflammation, metabolic abnormalities, and other factors are implicated in the link between premenstrual symptoms and cardiovascular health, according to the data.

When analyzing different types of cardiovascular diseases, the researchers found that the relationship was especially strong in the case of heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), where the risk was 31 percent higher.

Also in strokes caused by blood clots, where the risk was 27 percent higher. (Source: Prensa Latina)