Two studies have linked hot flashes, a common symptom experienced during menopause, to an increased risk of heart disease and Alzheimer‘s disease in women.
Hot flashes, often referred to as vasomotor symptoms, affect approximately 70 percent of women in midlife. They not only disrupt a woman’s quality of life but have also been associated with potential health risks.
In one study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh involving 276 participants, sternal skin conductance was used to physiologically measure hot flashes. The study aimed to determine if more frequent physiologically assessed hot flashes were linked to heightened systemic inflammation.
The findings revealed that physiologically assessed hot flashes occurring during wakeful periods were associated with elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. This association remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as age, education, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and oestradiol levels. Mary Carson, the lead author from the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Psychology, emphasized that this was the first study to examine physiologically measured hot flashes in relation to inflammation. The findings suggest that hot flashes could indicate underlying vascular risk and may identify women who require targeted cardiovascular disease prevention efforts.
Hot flashes during sleep serve as early indicators of an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
In a separate study involving 250 midlife women, also led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, it was observed that hot flashes occurring during sleep might serve as early indicators of an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women.
Furthermore, the study found that a higher frequency of hot flashes was associated with a greater risk of developing the disease.
Since women make up two-thirds of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease, researchers have explored various theories to explain this gender disparity, with a focus on the decline in estrogen levels during menopause.
Notably, these new findings remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as oestradiol levels and sleep characteristics assessed through actigraphy.
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Hot flashes were objectively measured using ambulatory skin conductance monitoring. According to Rebecca Thurston, Director of Women’s Biobehavioral Health at the University’s Department of Psychiatry, these findings suggest that women experiencing frequent hot flashes, particularly during sleep, may benefit from efforts to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Both of these studies are being presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Philadelphia.
