Research suggests a link between menopause symptoms and increased cholesterol.

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Several recent studies have linked hot flashes to an increased risk for heart disease, and now new research suggests a link between these menopause symptoms and increased cholesterol.

The study is being presented in Washington D.C. this week at the 22nd annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society.

Researchers followed more than 3,000 women in their 40s and early 50s for seven years as they transitioned through menopause.

After taking into account other heart disease risk factors they found hot flashes and, to a lesser extent, night sweats to be predictive of higher cholesterol The more hot flashes the women had, the higher their LDL “bad” and HDL “good” cholesterol.

Since raised LDL is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke while high HDL is associated with lower risk for those events, the meaning of the findings is somewhat murky, the researchers say.

Ref and Read more: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/750213?sssdmh=dm1.720622&src=nldne

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