Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher risk of heart disease

Women in their 30s and 40s with a common condition affecting how the ovaries work are more likely to get heart disease suggests a new study It is estimated that 6-20 percent of women of reproductive age have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Features of the condition include multiple cysts (fluid-filled sacs) on the ovaries, irregular periods, excess body hair or hair loss from the head due to high levels of male hormones, and difficulty becoming pregnant. Women with PCOS are more likely to be overweight or obese, have diabetes, and have high blood pressure - all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. This study examined whether this risky profile translates into a greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease - and, for the first time, whether that persists across the lifespan. The study included 60,574 women receiving treatment to help them get pregnant, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), from 1994 to 2015. Of those, 6,149 (10.2 percent had PCOS. The researchers used medical records to follow the women for nine years. During that period, 2,925 (4.8 percent) women developed cardiovascular disease. Overall, women with PCOS were at 19 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than women who did not have PCOS. When divided into age groups, women with PCOS aged 50 and over did not have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular risk compared to their peers without PCOS.