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AHA News: The Connection Between Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease Risks

Hot flashes and night sweats – they are the hallmark symptoms of menopause.

But there's something else happening to women entering their late 40s and early 50s that they can't see or feel and may not even know about: Their cardiovascular disease risks are rising.

"As women transition through menopause, they experience a lot of changes," said Samar El Khoudary, a professor of epide...

Treating Menopausal Symptoms: An Expert Describes Pros, Cons

For women experiencing menopause symptoms with no sign of relief in sight, it doesn’t have to be this way.

An expert in women’s health offers some suggestions for helping control symptoms during this time of life when menstrual cycles end.

"We sometimes hear the question, 'Do I need to treat hot flashes or night sweats?' and the answer for many may be, 'yes.' Because hot flashes...

Why Midlife Can Bring Risk of New Eating Disorders

Most people think of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia as afflictions of teenagers, but a new study finds that older women are also vulnerable to developing them, especially around menopause.

The main driver of eating disorders in older women? Body dissatisfaction, the researchers found.

When researchers looked at eating disorder symptoms among 36 women aged 45 to 61...

Menopause Symptoms Can Arise Well Before Menopause: Study

Mood swings. Hot flashes. Night sweats. Bad sleep. These are all debilitating symptoms of menopause, but now new research suggests they can start long before a woman stops having periods.

“Women in the late-reproductive stage who are menstruating regularly but noting changes in cycle length or duration may experience many symptoms typically associated with the menopausal transition,” ...

Sleep Key to Good Mental Health for Older Women

Older women who don’t stick to a set sleep and wake schedule may be more likely to struggle with feelings of depression and anxiety — even if they get a normal amount of zzzs.

What’s more, a postmenopausal woman who goes to bed very early and wakes up very early (an “early bird”) or goes to bed late and wakes up later (a “night owl”) is 70% more likely to experience signific...

Mood Swings, Memory Troubles: Minding the Mental Toll of Menopause

Menopause and the years before it may make you feel like you're losing your mind.

Some of those feelings are changes that occur naturally in this stage of life, but other factors contribute, too, according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), which offered tips to achieve some peace.

Changes in hormones are...

Hormonal Therapy Won't Prevent Chronic Ills After Menopause: Expert Panel

Experts are once again advising doctors and women against using menopausal hormone therapy to ward off chronic diseases -- 20 years after a landmark trial dashed those hopes.

In updated recommendations, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is reiterating its past advice on men...

Night Sweats May Be Even Tougher Than Hot Flashes on Women

It's not anyone's idea of a fun choice, but researchers recently asked 200 women which part of menopause is worse for them -- hot flashes or night sweats?

Both can significantly affect a woman's quality of life, but

Years of Diabetes Could Speed Onset of Menopause

The earlier a woman is diagnosed with diabetes, the sooner she may enter menopause, new research shows.

Rates of diabetes have grown steadily, so researchers wanted to understand the long-term implications of

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 12, 2022
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  • Abuse Early in Life May Mean Tougher Menopause Decades Later

    It's well-known that hot flashes, sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression are common issues during menopause. Yet not every woman experiences these symptoms at the same level of severity.

    A new study suggests...

    Shorter Menstrual Cycles May Affect Timing of Menopause

    The length of your monthly menstrual cycle may provide clues about the severity of symptoms you'll experience during menopause and when it will start, new research suggests.

    In this study of more than 600 women, researchers found that women with short menstrual cycles (less than 25 days) during their reproductive years were likely to experience more menopause symptoms. They were also more...

    Early Menopause Could Mean More Heart Trouble Later

    Women who go into menopause when they are younger than 40 are at greater risk of heart problems, reports a new Korean study of more than 1.4 million females.

    Women with premature menopause had an overall 33% higher risk of

  • By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2022
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  • Hormonal Drug May Help Women Ease Urinary Incontinence

    Menopause is famous for triggering hot flashes and mood swings, but one embarrassing side effect of a woman's drop in estrogen levels is lesser known — urinary urge incontinence.

    Now, a new study suggests that a topical treatment called prasterone, applied via a vaginal suppository, can ease those symptoms.

    Hormone Replacement Therapy Won't Raise Recurrence Rate for Breast Cancer Survivors

    Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for breast cancer survivors doesn't appear to increase the risk of cancer recurrence or death, Danish researchers report.

    Although HRT has previously been linked to a rais...

    Brain Changes Link Menopause With Higher Alzheimer's Risk

    Women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than men, and a new study shows that certain brain changes known to increase this risk may accrue during menopause.

    Women who have gone through menopause have more white matter hyperintensities in their brains than premenopausal women or men of the same age, res...

    Experimental Drug May Ease Hot Flashes

    Hot flashes are one of the most well-known symptoms of menopause and they can be severe and frequent, happening throughout the day and night over several years.

    Researchers say they have found a new, effective treatment that could provide relief and an alternative to existing therapies.

    "The simple truth is for many years, we did not even know or understand the biology of

    Many Older Women Have Active Sex Lives, But Menopause Can Interfere

    Many women remain sexually active into their 70s, but for others, menopause symptoms and chronic health issues get in the way.

    That's among the findings from the latest University of Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging, which surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. women ages 50 to 80.

    Overall, 43% said they were sexually active, be tha...

    Estrogen May Help Fight Severe COVID-19

    Hormone replacement therapy may offer women significant protection against dying from COVID-19, new research suggests.

    British researchers who tracked more than 5,400 women with COVID during the first half of 2020 report that those who received the supplemental estrogen were 78% less likely...

    Menopause Might Worsen Jaw Pain in Women

    Estrogen loss during menopause may worsen women's pain from a jaw disorder, a new study warns.

    Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) causes pain in the jaw joint and affects an estimated 4.8% of U.S. adults, or about 12 million people.

    Some estimates suggest that as...

    Heart Failure Risk Climbs in Obese Older Women Who Had Late Menopause

    Health risks tied to obesity are often serious, with new research showing it boosts odds for heart failure among older women, especially those who go through menopause later than usual.

    Women whose periods stopped at 55 or after were at greatest risk, according to the study, published April 13 in the

  • By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 14, 2022
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  • Shift Work Might Delay Menopause, With Potential Harms to Health

    Women whose jobs require shift work may experience delayed menopause, according to a new study, and it could be bad for their health.

    Whether it's working the overnight shift or different hours from day to day, shift work has been linked to higher risks for a variety of health problems, in...

    Menopause May Mean More Sleep Apnea and  Painful Joints

    Sleep apnea may be linked with joint pain and fatigue in postmenopausal women, a new study suggests.

    "This study highlights an opportunity to increase identification of women with OSA [obstructive sleep apnea], which is underdiagnosed in women who often present with vague symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue and morning h...

    Early Menopause May Raise a Woman's Odds for Dementia

    Women who enter menopause early may be more likely to develop dementia later in life, new research indicates.

    During menopause, production of the female sex hormone estrogen drops dramatically and a woman's periods come to an end. While women typically enter menopause in their early 50s, many do so earlier - eithe...

    Insomnia Drug Might Also Ease Menopause Night Sweats

    Hot flashes. Night sweats. Waking up at all hours throughout the night. Millions of women battle these stereotypical menopause symptoms for years.

    Now, a small study suggests that a drug used for both men and women who have sleep disorders might o...

    Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms - Solutions or Snake Oil?

    Women struggling with the change of life often head to the supplements section of their pharmacy to deal with menopause symptoms like hot flashes and sleeplessness.

    But experts say they'd be better off going to their doctor and asking for clinically proven treatments rather than relying on an herbal remedy.

    There's scant clinical evidence that supplements like black cohosh, soy isof...

    'Benign' Adrenal Gland Tumors Might Cause Harm to Millions

    Millions of people are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and don't even know it, due to a hidden hormone problem in their bodies.

    As many as 1 in 10 people have a non-cancerous tumor on one or both of their adrenal glands that could cause the gland to produce excess amounts of the stress hormone cortisol.

    Up to now, doctors have thought that these tumors h...

    Bladder Trouble Worsens With Age for Women, Study Confirms

    A new study confirms what many older women already know: Bladder problems in women worsen with age.

    The researchers found that postmenopausal women between 45 and 54 years of age are more likely to have overactive bladder syndrome, and that obesity and multiple ...

    Removing Ovaries During Hysterectomy Before 50 Can Bring Health Risks

    New research on hysterectomies among women who don't have cancer determined there is an age at which it is safer to also remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes and an age at which it isn't.

    Canadian scientists studied the cases of more than 200,500 women who had a hysterectomy for noncancerous reasons. They found an increased risk of death in women under 50 when the ovaries and fallopian ...

    Gastro Symptoms of Menopause May Vary by Race

    When a woman's periods begin to slow down and finally stop, digestive problems often pick up -- and new research suggests race and ethnicity play a role.

    With menopause, levels of estrogen decrease, while cortisol levels increase, triggering an adrenaline boost that changes digestive function. It can set off symptoms such as bloating, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, indige...

    Study Links Muscle Mass to Severity of Hot Flashes in Women

    Older women with muscle loss are less likely to have menopause-related hot flashes, a new study finds.

    The loss of muscle mass and function (sarcopenia) is one of the most significant changes that occurs with age, and older women are at increased risk due to sex hormone changes after menopause.

    Other risk factors for sarcopenia include inactivity, lower protein intake, changes in gr...

    Could Estrogen Help Shield Women's Brains From Alzheimer's?

    A key to reduced Alzheimer's disease risk in women could be how much of the hormone estrogen they're able to stockpile over the years, new research suggests.

    Certain lifetime choices -- such as having more children, taking hormonal birth control or taking hormone therapy during menopause -- mean that a woman has greater cumulative exposure to estrogen during her lifetime. A longer nu...

    Table Set for One May Be Tough on Women's Hearts

    Eating alone may be a recipe for heart trouble if you're an older woman, Korean researchers suggest.

    Those who eat by themselves are likely to eat faster and less healthily, which can lead to weight gain, higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increasing the risk for heart disease, the new study found.

    "Women who live alone, who aren't cooking for a family or their husband, t...

    Vision Troubles Could Raise Midlife Depression Risk for Women

    Midlife vision problems could increase women's risk of depression, new research suggests.

    Rates of eye problems and depression rise during midlife, but knowledge about how vision affects depression at that time has been limited. The new study identified a significant link between impaired vision and development of depression.

    "Given that the combination of visual impairment and depr...

    Laser Therapy Promises to 'Rejuvenate' Vaginal Tissue. A New Study Finds Otherwise

    Laser-based vaginal "rejuvenation" is all the rage among women concerned about vaginal dryness and other "down there" symptoms of menopause, but it's buyer beware when it comes to these procedures, new research warns.

    It turns out that laser-based vaginal rejuvenation may not be any better than placebo (dummy) treatment when it comes to relieving vaginal dryness, itching, burning, irritat...

    More Middle-Aged, Older Women Getting 'Broken Heart' Syndrome

    The number of Americans diagnosed with "broken heart" syndrome has steadily risen in the past 15 years -- with the vast majority being women, a new study finds.

    The condition, which doctors call stress cardiomyopathy, appears similar to a heart attack -- with symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness. But its cause is entirely different: Experts believe it reflects a temporary weakne...

    Lengthening Menstrual Cycles Near Menopause Could Predict Heart Health

    The length of a woman's menstrual cycle as she nears menopause could reflect her future risk of heart disease, researchers report.

    Some women's menstrual cycles become longer as they approach menopause, while others' cycles remain stable. This new study found that the women whose cycle increased in length two years before menopause had better measures of vascular health than those who had...

    More Women Turning to Marijuana Products to Help With Menopause

    Sleeplessness. Night sweats. Anxiety. Irritability. Aches and pains.

    Would smoking a little pot help women deal with these common symptoms of menopause?

    A good number of middle-aged women apparently think so, because they've been turning to marijuana to help handle the change of life, a new study reports.

    "Midlife women within the menopause transition period of their life are ...

    Migraines and More Severe Hot Flashes Could Be Linked

    Women with a history of migraine headaches may suffer severe hot flashes during menopause, and this combo may boost their risk for heart disease, researchers say.

    Migraine doesn't cause more or worse hot flashes -- or vice versa. But both are believed to be related to changes in blood vessels known as neurovascular dysregulation, according to Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of the...

    Depression During Menopause: How to Spot It and Treat It

    Emotional changes in the run-up to menopause can sometimes lead to depression.

    It can be important to see a doctor to help determine whether you're just feeling stressed or "blue" -- or whether you might have clinical or major depression, a condition associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain.

    Changing hormones during perimenopause -- the time when a woman's body is preparing...

    Your Metabolism Changes As You Age, Just Not When You Think

    Everyone knows that your metabolism peaks in your teenage years, when you're fit and active and feeling your oats.

    And everyone knows that a person's metabolism slows down in middle age, as bodies start to expand and sag, and become less energetic.

    But that's all wrong, it now appears -- fake news about how humans age that's gained the currency of truth over the years.

    Your me...

    Women Can Dance Themselves to Better Health After Menopause

    Better health and self-image might just be a samba or some funky moves away.

    That's true for postmenopausal women who, a new study says, can dance their way to better physical and emotional health.

    "In addition to the positive effects on physical, metabolic and mental health aspects, dance promotes a moment of leisure, fun, socialization, self-knowledge and many other b...

    HRT Could Raise Odds for Asthma

    Millions of women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to ease their transition through menopause may be unknowingly upping their risk for asthma.

    The concern follows a study that spent more than two decades tracking a potential link between HRT and late-onset asthma among roughly 380,000 Danish women.

    Two New York City physicians who were not involved in the study said the fi...

    Could Menopausal Hormone Therapy Reduce Women's Odds for Dementia?

    Women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause go on to have a 58% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, a new study finds.

    Although the study wasn't designed to prove cause and effect, the findings could point the way to new treatments for such diseases, according to the researchers.

    "This is not the first study on the impact of hormone...

    A Vitamin Could Be Key to Women's Pain After Knee Replacement

    Older women with low levels of vitamin D may have more pain after total knee replacement than those with adequate levels of the nutrient, a new study suggests.

    Vitamin D is an important part of a healthy diet, and its benefits include protecting against bone disease and maintaining soft tissue health.

    Estrogen deficiency, inactivity and a lack of sun exposure have been linked w...

    Do Your Genes Set You Up for Hot Flashes?

    Could your genes be to blame for your hot flashes?

    New research suggests that's so, with genetics playing a role in both the severity and frequency of those hallmarks of menopause.

    While hot flashes are common, they don't affect all women to the same degree and the reasons for those differences are unclear.

    Genetics have been been suspected, because Black women tend to have gr...

    Migraine Before Menopause Could Be Linked to High Blood Pressure Later

    If you suffered migraine headaches before menopause, you're at higher risk for high blood pressure once your periods stop, a new study warns.

    Migraines occur more often in women than men, and are most common in the years before menopause, according to study author Gianluca Severi of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Paris.

    "Doctors may want to consider ...

    New Treatment May Help Women in Early Menopause Remain Fertile

    An experimental treatment may restore fertility during early menopause, a small new study claims.

    Typically, menopause ends a woman's ability to get pregnant. But researchers report that administering platelet-rich plasma and hormones, called gonadotropins, might stimulate ovulation to make pregnancy possible.

    "The most surprising finding in this work is awakening the s...

    Heart Disease Gaining on Cancer as Leading Cause of Death in Young Women

    Heart disease is gaining on cancer as the leading cause of death among American women under 65.

    "Young women in the United States are becoming less healthy, which is now reversing prior improvements seen in heart disease deaths for the gender," said Dr. Erin Michos, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. She's the co-author of a new study that inv...

    Black Women More Prone to Postmenopausal Weight Gain Than White Women

    Black American women are more likely to gain weight after menopause than white women, and a number of factors may underlie the difference, researchers say.

    They analyzed data from nearly 71,000 American women who had gone through menopause and were enrolled in a long-term health study.

    The analysis found that Black women were more than 50% more likely to have a weight gain of 10% af...

    Lots of Belly Fat at Menopause Could Boost Heart Risks

    If you are approaching menopause and you have some extra belly fat, new research suggests you might want to shed some inches now.

    Women who carry weight around their midsection during menopause may be more likely to develop heart disease even if their overall weight remains the same, researchers report.

    For every 20% increase in belly fat, the thickness of the carotid artery lining ...