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Perimenopause is considered the transitional period leading up to menopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to gradually produce fewer hormones, particularly estrogen. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
According to a nationwide analysis, U.S. females experiencing perimenopause<\/a> are twice as likely to have a low cardiovascular health score than those who are still regularly menstruating. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cFrom a cardiovascular standpoint, perimenopause is a very important time in which there are changing hormone levels, specifically with a declining estrogen level, which can have not only an impact on how one may feel but also on how one\u2019s cardiovascular system is impacted and responds,\u201d said Jossef Amirian<\/a>, MD, a board certified cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in New York. Amirian wasn\u2019t involved in the study. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe end result is potentially a change in body fat distribution, cholesterol and blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and this can all have an impact on blood flow and circulation as well,\u201d he told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The researchers used the AHA\u2019s The LE8 scores are scientifically based measures of cardiovascular health as defined by the AHA. The recommendations comprise health behaviors and health factors, including: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Using the LE8 scores, an average of all eight factors on a 100-point scale, the researchers assessed participants\u2019 heart health. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The average LE8 score among the participants declined with menopausal status:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n After taking into account the effects of aging, the results showed that perimenopausal females were 76% more likely to have a low cholesterol score, meaning they had higher cholesterol levels. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Perimenopausal females were also 83% more likely to have a low score for blood sugar, meaning they had higher glucose levels, when compared to premenopausal females.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cDuring perimenopause, women commonly experience adverse metabolic changes, including worsening lipid profiles, increased insulin resistance<\/a>, and greater accumulation of visceral adiposity,\u201d said Jennifer Wong<\/a>, MD, a board certified cardiologist and medical director of noninvasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. Wong wasn\u2019t involved in the study. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThese physiologic shifts contribute to an elevated cardiovascular risk profile and may partially explain the higher prevalence of low cardiovascular health scores in this population,\u201d she told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n The transitional period of perimenopause marks the beginning of many changes in the female body. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s also an opportunity to focus on assessment, intervention, and prevention of cardiovascular risk factors. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cPerimenopause is considered a \u2018window of opportunity\u2019 because during this time of changing hormones and a changing body, we have an opportunity such that if we reverse modifiable risk factors and improve our blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol panels, we have an opportunity to lower our risk of cardiovascular disease and as such, mitigate our risk of heart attack<\/a> and stroke<\/a>,\u201d said Amirian. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n