Menopausal hot flashes are a good sign for the heart

Friday, 25 February 2011 9:30 AM

A new study has found that women who suffer from hot flashes when they begin menopause are at lower risk for cardiovascular events.

The research, published in the online edition of the journal Menopause, was carried out by Northwestern University and gathered medical information from 60,000 women over the course of ten years to determine the relationship between menopause symptoms and cardiovascular events.

The results of study are significant as there has been concern that menopausal symptoms, which result from instability in the blood vessels in the skin, may put women at risk for other types of vascular problems as well.

"While they are certainly bothersome, hot flashes may not be all bad," said Northwestern Medicine endocrinologist Emily Szmuilowicz, MD, who is lead author of the study.

"Our research found that despite previous reports suggesting that menopause symptoms were associated with increased levels of risk markers for heart disease, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, the actual outcomes tell a different story."
 

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