
A recent study revealed that young women who suffer from premenstrual diseases may experience an increased risk of cardiac disease later in life.
These diseases include premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, and the most severe form, premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Symptoms, which are wide-ranging, appear a few days before menstruation and can have a great impact on an individual’s well-being.
For the study, researchers analysed more than 99,000 women with premenstrual symptoms for up to 22 years.
They compared participants' health to that of women without any health issues.
The results indicated that women with premenstrual symptoms were at a 10% increased risk of developing a cardiac disorder.
The association was stronger for cardiac arrhythmias (regular heart rhythms), where the risk was significantly higher (31%), and stroke due to blood clot, where the risk was 27% increased.
The lead author stated, “The increased risk was particularly clear in women who were diagnosed before the age of 25 and in those who had also experienced postnatal depression, a condition that can also be caused by hormonal fluctuations.”
However, experts stressed the need for further research to determine the link; however, researchers stated hormone dysfunction, increased inflammation in the body and caused metabolic issues.