New onset high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy may be associated with greater number of hot flushes during menopause
A new study suggests that women with a history of hypertension, diabetes during pregnancy may experience more hot flushes during the menopause transition.
Results of the study were presented at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in San Diego.
About 60-80% of women are estimated to suffer from hot flushes as part of menopause. Hot flushes have been associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction, as have hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes. This study was carried out to analyze, if these pregnancy disorders could have any effect on hot flushes during menopause.
Data from more than 2,200 women who participated in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) study were gathered as part of the research.
With so many women affected by hot flushes, healthcare providers need to understand all the underlying risk factors that could influence hot flushes at the time of menopause
The study concluded that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes may be modestly associated with a greater number of hot flushes. Women who had never been pregnant, in contrast, were found to have fewer hot flushes.
“This study further underscores the importance of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia for later health, particularly cardiovascular health at midlife. Women with a history of these pregnancy disorders were heavier and more likely to be taking lipid-lowering medications and diabetes medications,” said Dr. Rhoda Conant, lead author of the study from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center.
“With so many women affected by hot flushes, healthcare providers need to understand all the underlying risk factors that could influence hot flushes at the time of menopause,” said Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director.
Bad high BP. I was diagnosed as type 2 laGst year, my weight was 125kg, my doctor wanted me to start insulin and encouraged a diet with an alarming amount of carbs, so I went to boots and bought a blood sugar tester that I used every day, and started on a Atkins type diet. I.e no carbs….. and when I say no carbs I really mean none. So lots of meats and fish, eggs etc. I also got some useful information here http://mydiabetesway.com/15-easy-ways-to-lower-blood-sugar-levels-naturally I gradually started loosing weight at a rate of 3kg per month and Im now 94kg, I have never taken insulin and in a few months I will be my target weight. my lifestyle can never go back to carbs, but I can have some nowerdays without my blood sugar increasing, so if I want a curry I can have a Nan bread with it but no rice chips etc. And to be honest when you cut out carbs you can eat a lot of really tasty things that help lose weight a fry up without the beans is fine, lamb chops and kebabs without the bread etc. The only downside is because of the extra fat intake I need to be doing daily cardio. I really believe doctors are offered too many incentives by drug companies and tend to love writing prescriptions instead of encouraging a positive change in our lifestyles.