Long and irregular menstruation cycles linked to higher heart disease risk

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-10-26 02:00

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Women with irregular or longer menstrual cycles could be at higher risk of heart disease later in life, according to international research. The team collected data from about 80,000 women on their menstrual cycle over an average of nearly 40 years, 1,800 of whom developed heart disease by the end of the study period. The researchers say there was a higher risk of heart disease among women who had reported irregular cycles or no periods, with the risk increasing for women who reported these symptoms later in life. A similar risk was found for women with cycles of 40 days or longer, as well as cycles too irregular to estimate, the researchers say. While this type of study can't establish that menstrual cycle irregularities actually cause the increased risk of heart disease, the researchers say it could help identify women at risk of heart disease ahead of time.