Endometriosis Linked to Heart Attacks & Strokes

Women with endometriosis have a 20% increased risk of heart attack and a 35% higher risk of stroke, leading researchers have found.

Researchers in Denmark compared 60,508 women with a diagnosis of endometriosis with 242,032 women of the same ages without the condition, in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. 

During follow-up over a period of 45 years, researchers found that 17.5% of women with endometriosis had experienced either a heart attack or a stroke due to a clogged artery, compared with 15.3% of women without endometriosis. They were also found to be at higher risk for heart rhythm problems and heart failure.

The researchers will present their findings at an upcoming meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in London. 

Although significant, the study does not prove that endometriosis was the cause of these additional health issues.

“However, the findings add to a growing body of evidence that female-specific risk factors – such as endometriosis, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia – should be rolled into cardiovascular risk prediction models,” said study leader Dr Eva Havers-Borgersen, from Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital.

Tenth of world's women suffer with endometriosis 

She added: “We suggest that women with endometriosis undergo cardiovascular disease risk assessment.”

Endometriosis is a common, chronic and extremely painful disorder involving the tissue that lines the uterus. The disease causes tissue similar to the uterus lining to grow outside it, potentially causing severe pain in the pelvis or making it harder to get pregnant.

It afflicts one in ten women and girls of reproductive age around the world, meaning there are around 190 women with the condition, according to the World Health Organization.

It is not known what causes endometriosis, and currently there are no treatments to cure it – only pain-relief medicines and hormone treatments, such as the combined contraceptive pill.

However, in March Israeli biotech startup Gynica launched a clinical trial for a treatment for endometriosis, raising hopes for a cure for the disease which 

The first-of-its-kind clinical study would evaluate the safety, tolerability, and interaction of its intra-vaginal drug delivery platform and two proprietary drug candidates, and is being conducted at Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy.

Endometriosis drug 'an unmet need'

Gynica CEO Yotam Hod said at the time of the announcement that the company was engaged in pre-clinical research and development for the past four years towards "this enormous unmet need".

He added: "This trial represents a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionise care and provide a better quality of life for the millions of women worldwide suffering from endometriosis.”

Pending positive Phase 1 results, the company will then begin Phase 2 efficacy trials.

Gynica aims to register its solutions with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).