Endometriosis linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke in women

Women with endometriosis have a 20% higher risk of serious heart-related problems compared to those without the condition, according to research shared at ESC Congress 2024. The study stresses the importance of considering heart disease risk in women with endometriosis, a condition that affects 1 in 10 women. These findings challenge the old belief that heart disease mainly affects men.

The research, led by Dr. Eva Havers-Borgersen from Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, analyzed data from over 60,000 women in Denmark who were diagnosed with endometriosis between 1977 and 2021. These women were compared with more than 240,000 women without endometriosis and were followed for an average of 16 years.

The study found that women with endometriosis had a 20% higher risk of heart attack and stroke, along with increased risks for irregular heartbeats and heart failure.

Dr. Havers-Borgersen stressed the need to include female-specific risk factors, like endometriosis, in heart disease risk assessments. Even though the overall risk increase was small, the high number of women affected by endometriosis makes these findings important. The study highlights the need for more research to confirm the results and to better incorporate female-specific factors into heart disease risk predictions.