Many women suffer from this condition.
Endometriosis, a condition where tissue normally found inside the uterus grows outside of it, can be extremely painful and impact fertility. Recent research, however, has unveiled additional severe risks associated with the condition: increased likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.
The study, led by Dr. Eva Havers-Borgersen from Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, was presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual meeting in London. Dr. Havers-Borgersen highlighted the urgency of addressing cardiovascular risks in women with endometriosis, given that cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among women, and endometriosis affects about 10% of women.
The research analyzed data from a Danish database covering over 60,000 women diagnosed with endometriosis between 1977 and 2021. The study compared cardiovascular outcomes between these women and over 242,000 women without the condition, matched for age, over an average follow-up period of 16 years.
The findings revealed that women with endometriosis had a 35% higher risk of heart attacks and a 20% increased risk of ischemic strokes compared to those without the condition. Additionally, endometriosis was linked to a 21% higher risk of heart arrhythmias and an 11% increased risk of heart failure.
Dr. Havers-Borgersen emphasized the need for incorporating female-specific risk factors like endometriosis into cardiovascular risk assessments and prediction models, along with conditions like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. These findings are preliminary and await further validation through peer-reviewed publication.
Discussion about this post