Risk Recent findings presented at the European Society of Cardiology's (ESC) 2024 congress show that women with endometriosis have a 20% higher risk of serious cardiac events compared to those without the condition. This connection underscores the need for a renewed focus on female-specific risk factors in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women assessments.
ecent data from Danish nationwide registries suggest it's time to rethink how we assess cardiovascular risk in women. A study led by Dr. Eva Havers-Borgersen from Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, examined the cardiovascular outcomes of women diagnosed with endometriosis between 1977 and 2021. The study matched these women in a 1:4 ratio with women from the general population without endometriosis, based on their year of birth. The primary focus was on acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke, while secondary outcomes included arrhythmias, heart failure, and overall mortality.
Key Findings: Elevated Cardiovascular Risk in Women with Endometriosis
The study encompassed 60,508 women with endometriosis and 242,032 matched controls, with a median age of 37.3 years and a follow-up period of up to 45 years. The findings highlight a significantly elevated risk of cardiovascular events among women with endometriosis:
- **20% increased risk** of the composite endpoint of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.
- **Adjusted hazard ratio (HR):** 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.20).
- **40-year cumulative incidence** of myocardial infarction and stroke was 17.5% (95% CI 16.6–18.2%) for women with endometriosis, compared to 15.3% (95% CI 15.0–15.7%) for those without (p<0.0001).
Individual Risk Increases:
- 20% increased risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.12–1.23).
- **35% increased risk** of acute myocardial infarction (adjusted HR 1.35; 95% CI 1.31–1.40).
- **21% increased risk** of arrhythmias (adjusted HR 1.21; 95% CI 1.17–1.25).
- **11% increased risk** of heart failure (adjusted HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.05–1.18).
Implications for Women's Cardiovascular Health
Dr. Havers-Borgersen and her team emphasize that endometriosis is strongly linked to cardiovascular diseases, potentially sharing common disease pathways. While the absolute increase in risk may appear modest, the relative risk differences
