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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Women who hit menopause before 40 face a meaningfully higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those who go through it after 45, a large UK Biobank study finds. The risk peaks for women who reach menopause between ages 25 and 35. Experts say menopause age should now be factored into routine cardiovascular risk assessments.
A large prospective study of over 107,000 postmenopausal women from the UK Biobank has found that premature menopause — occurring before age 40 — is independently associated with a 12% higher risk of developing hypertension compared to normal menopause (after age 45). The risk is most pronounced for women who experience menopause between ages 25 and 35, prompting researchers to suggest redefining "premature menopause" in the cardiovascular context as occurring before age 35.
Interestingly, surgical menopause (bilateral oophorectomy) did not emerge as an independent risk factor for hypertension once lifestyle factors and comorbidities were accounted for — a finding researchers described as notable.
By the numbers:
Why it matters: This study makes a strong case for integrating menopause age into standard cardiovascular risk screening. Clinicians working with younger menopausal patients have a critical window to intervene — through blood pressure monitoring, lifestyle counseling, or hormone therapy — to support long-term heart health.
