Hysterectomy or removal of the uterus increases the risk of suffering from cardiovascular problemseven if the ovaries are preserved, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Menopause. If this operation was carried out early, the probability of suffering from heart problems is higher.
Researchers conducted a study with 2,094 women who underwent ovarian-sparing hysterectomy for benign disease between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2002. The women were 18 or older on the date of their surgery. A group of healthy women served as a control group.
Hysterectomy, a risk factor for heart disease
The results of the study showed that women who underwent hysterectomy without removal of the ovaries had an increased risk of lipid abnormalities by 14%, an increased risk ofhypertension of 13%, a high risk ofobesityby 18% and an increased risk of coronary heart disease by 33%. Additionally, women under 35 had a 4.6 times greater risk of heart failure and a 2.5 times greater risk of coronary heart disease.
“Hysterectomy is the second most common gynecological surgery, and most are done for benign reasons, as most doctors believe this surgery has minimal long-term risks,” says Dr. Laughlin-Tommaso. “With the results of this study, we encourage people to consider non-surgical alternative therapies for fibroidsL’endometriosisand the prolapsewhich are the main causes of hysterectomy.”
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