Summary: Endometriosis raises stroke risk in women. A new study shows that women with endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy (a keyhole surgery) have a 34% higher stroke risk. Stroke is a leading cause of death in the US. Some risk factors for stroke are well known, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sitting too much. We also know that women face a higher stroke risk.
Heart attack and stroke are the number one cause of death in the US. They cannot be fully prevented. But you can cut your risk a lot by changing your lifestyle and finding your risk factors. For example, endometriosis seems to be linked to a significantly higher stroke risk in women. A stroke is a medical emergency. Blood flow to the brain is cut off, either by a blocked blood vessel or a leaking one. But more than 90% of strokes happen because an artery is blocked, not because it bursts.
The lack of oxygen and nutrients can kill brain cells. That leads to serious and often lasting injury or disability. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are the most common. They happen when a blood clot forms in an artery leading to the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes happen when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds. Several things raise stroke risk. Some can be changed, and others cannot. Ones you can change include high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, too little exercise, and a diet high in salt and saturated fat.
Other factors, such as age, sex, and family history, cannot be changed. Women may have a higher stroke risk than men, especially after menopause. Then hormone levels drop and other risk factors grow stronger. Women with diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure also have a higher stroke risk.
It is important to know and treat your stroke risk factors. Finding and managing them early can help prevent a first or repeat stroke. This can mean lifestyle changes such as eating well, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and managing stress. Regular check-ups also help. They track blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, so problems that raise stroke risk get found and treated.
Doctors have long known about stroke risks like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. But the new study suggests endometriosis is also a significant stroke risk factor in women. And endometriosis is not rare. It affects about 10% of women of childbearing age. So more strokes in women are not explained by hormone changes alone. Other health problems, like endometriosis, play a part too.
In a new study in the journal Stroke of American Heart Association, researchers studied women whose endometriosis was confirmed by keyhole surgery. Their stroke risk was about 34% higher. That difference is statistically significant.
The risk was even higher in women who had a hysterectomy or took hormone therapy. Some factors were not tied to the extra risk. These included trouble getting pregnant, BMI, menopause, and more.
Of course, this study does not say that people with endometriosis will have a stroke. It only says their risk is slightly higher. But doctors rarely link endometriosis to stroke risk. So these findings matter for care teams. They call for more focus on stroke prevention in people diagnosed with endometriosis.
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Frequently asked questions
Does endometriosis increase the risk of stroke?
Yes. A study in the American Heart Association journal Stroke looked at women whose endometriosis was confirmed by keyhole surgery. They had about a 34% higher risk of stroke. That difference is statistically significant. It does not mean a woman with endometriosis will have a stroke. It means her risk is modestly higher. So stroke prevention deserves more attention once endometriosis is diagnosed.
Does hormone therapy increase stroke risk in women with endometriosis?
In the same study, the risk ran even higher in some women. These had endometriosis plus hormone therapy or a hysterectomy. Trouble getting pregnant, body weight and menopause were not tied to the extra risk. Do you have endometriosis? Do you take hormones or have you had a hysterectomy? Then ask your doctor about stroke prevention.
What causes most strokes?
More than 90% of strokes happen because an artery is blocked, not because a vessel bursts. These are ischemic strokes. A clot forms in an artery leading to the brain and cuts off oxygen and nutrients. The less common hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds. Either way, brain cells can die, causing lasting injury.
Why are women at higher risk of stroke?
Women may have a higher stroke risk than men, especially after menopause. Then hormone levels fall and other risk factors come forward. Diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure raise it further. Endometriosis affects about 10% of women of childbearing age. It adds another reason beyond hormone changes alone.
How can I lower my stroke risk if I have endometriosis?
Work on the risks you can change. These are blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, too little exercise, and a diet high in salt and saturated fat. Eat well, exercise regularly, quit smoking and manage stress. Get regular check-ups that track blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. They help catch and treat the problems that push stroke risk higher.
The content provided herein is not intended to provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice; it also does not constitute provision of healthcare services. No information in this content should ever be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional, it is provided for thoughtful discussion, informational and educational purposes only.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
