Uterine fibroids are common and affect many women. While some do not experience symptoms when they have fibroids, others have symptoms such as heavy periods, pelvic pressure, or pain.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart AssociationTrusted Source suggests that the impact of developing uterine fibroids may go beyond reproductive health.
The study, which built on previous research, found that individuals with uterine fibroids may have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
While the study does not prove that fibroids directly cause heart problems, it does show that the two conditions may be connected.
Fibroids and heart disease: What is the connection?
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that formTrusted Source in the smooth muscle of the uterus and may affect up to 80% of women by age 50. Fibroids can vary in size from the size of an apple seed to as big as a grapefruit.
Some treatment optionsTrusted Source for fibroids include:
medication, such as ibuprofen, to manage pain
birth control pills to reduce fibroid size
surgery to disrupt the blood flow to fibroids
surgery to remove the fibroids.
The treatment depends on the severity of the fibroid symptoms, and doctors may try less invasive options first.
The researchers in the current study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between uterine fibroids and cardiovascular risk.
The scientists compared about 450,000 women who had received a diagnosis of fibroids to over 2.25 million women without fibroids. The participants were between 18 and 50 years old.
Additionally, the study included only women with no history of hysterectomy, menopause, or cardiovascular disease.
The researchers then tracked the participants for up to 10 years or until they developed cardiovascular disease for the first time. They looked for events such as heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.
The researchers matched each woman with fibroids to five women of the same age who had no record of fibroids.
