Young women in 30s and 40s with polycystic ovary syndrome are at higher risk for heart disease, says study
Young women in their 30s and 40s with a common condition affecting how the ovaries work are more likely to get heart disease. Researchers found that overall, women with the health condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were at a 19% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than women who did not have the condition.
PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, affecting 6% to 12% (as many as 5 million) of US women of reproductive age, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it is a lot more than that and this lifelong health condition continues far beyond the child-bearing years, say experts. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may reduce the risk of long-term complications.
“Polycystic ovary syndrome isn’t a life sentence, there are many ways to stay heart healthy. Small changes add up, like eating more fruits and vegetables and doing more exercise,” says study author Dr Clare Oliver-Williams from the University of Cambridge, UK, in the analysis published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Features of the condition include multiple cysts (fluid-filled sacs) on the ovaries, irregular periods, excess body hair or hair loss from the head due to high levels of male hormones, and difficulty becoming pregnant. Women with PCOS are more likely to be overweight or obese, have diabetes, and have high blood pressure -- all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. The team examined whether this risky profile translates into a greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and whether that persists across the lifespan. “Some PCOS symptoms are only present during the reproductive years, so it's possible that the raised chance of heart disease might disappear later in life,” explains Dr Oliver-Williams.
The study included 60,574 women receiving treatment to help them get pregnant, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), from 1994 to 2015. Of those, 6,149 (10.2%) had PCOS. The researchers used medical records to observe the patients for nine years. During that period, 2,925 (4.8%) women developed cardiovascular disease. Overall, women with PCOS were at a 19% higher risk of developing heart disease.
When divided into age groups, women in their 30s and 40s with PCOS were found to be at greater risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those without PCOS. The evidence in those under 30 was less clear and this is likely because there were insufficient women of that age in the dataset to identify the risk, say researchers. Women with PCOS aged 50 and over did not have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular risk compared to their peers without PCOS.
“Knowledge is power and being aware of the heart risks means women with PCOS can do something about it. Heart health appears to be a particular problem for young women with PCOS. This may be because they are more likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure and diabetes compared to their peers. Previous studies have suggested that these differences diminish with age. In other words, as women without PCOS get older, they increasingly become overweight and develop high blood pressure and diabetes. In a negative sense, they catch up to their peers with PCOS,” writes Dr Oliver-Williams.
“PCOS can be a distressing condition. Not just because it can affect fertility. The physical effects can cause anxiety and depression. There's so much pressure on young women to achieve what we’re told is the physical ideal. It takes age and time to embrace yourself and getting support from others is a vital step, so reach out if you need it,” suggests Dr Oliver-Williams.