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Women with PCOS more prone to heart attacks

A silent killer 50% of women suffering from disorder are unaware of it

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is becoming a major public health concern globally. Doctors say that other than symptoms of PCOS, which include irregular or no menstrual periods, excessive hair growth on the face (hirsutism) and body weight gain, acne, ovarian cysts, and alopecia, PCOS can also lead to heart attack and other cardio problems.

"Women with PCOS are four to seven times more at risk of suffering a heart attack as compared to women of the same age without PCOS. Women with PCOS are also at a higher rate of miscarriage because of elevated levels of luteinising hormones, insulin or glucose," said Dr Shobha Gupta, gynecologist and IVF specialist.

Every year, about 12 million people throughout the world die or suffer heart attacks or strokes. While it affects both men and women equally, the truth is that women are more prone to it after menopause. Globally, 25 percent of women have at least one miscarriage. But looking at repeated miscarriages, among women who had more than three spontaneous miscarriages, it was found that there was a nine-fold increased risk of heart attack. Each miscarriage increased a woman's risk of heart attack by 40 percent. Women who had at least one stillbirth were about 3.5 times as likely to suffer a heart attack.

According to a survey by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), one in four women in India suffer from the Endocrine system disorder, as PCOS is also known as. Of these, about 20-25 per cent are of reproductive age. The study was conducted on a sample size of 3,500. However, while the ailment is extremely common, there isn't much awareness about it. Over 50 percent of the women who suffer from the disorder are themselves unaware of it.

"Smoking or intake of tobacco, alcohol consumption, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of physical activity, etc. are all factors that increases risk of heart attacks. Maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle makes you fat, and obesity is the biggest reason for PCOS and thus heart attacks. The more risk factors, the higher the risk," said Dr Anubha Singh, senior gynecologist, Shantah IVF Centre.

WHAT IS PCOS

Polycycstic Ovary Syndrome is a condition that affects women’s hormone levels, and may result in cardio problems

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