Among premenopausal women, unfavorable cardiovascular health (CVH) was significantly linked with an increased risk for earlyonset vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and its more severe forms, according to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Yoosoo Chang, MD, PhD, and colleagues conducted a cohort study of 2,541 premenopausal women (aged 42-52) with no VMS at baseline. CVH metrics were scored from 0 (unhealthy) to 6 (healthy) and classified into three groups: ideal (5-6), intermediate (3-4), and poor (0-2) CVH. VMS, including night sweats and hot flashes, were evaluated via the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire; moderate/severe VMS was defined as a score of at least 3 points (range: 0-6, 6 being most bothersome). Among participants, 1,241 developed VMS prior to menopause (median follow-up, 4.5 years). The HR for developing early-onset VMS, comparing the poor CVH group with the ideal group— after adjusting for age, parity, alcohol consumption, and education level—was 1.41.
