Cohort study, 2016
Do women with PMS have higher blood pressure than other women?
Women with PMS had slightly higher diastolic blood pressure than women without PMS, but their systolic (top number) blood pressure was not different. This is based on one study, so it is not certain yet.
What they did
Researchers studied 409 young women (average age 21) between 2006 and 2014. They compared 78 women who met criteria for clinically significant PMS with 88 women who had few symptoms. Blood pressure was measured in the second half of the menstrual cycle (luteal phase), and lifestyle, diet and body measurements were also recorded.
What they found
After adjusting for things like smoking and body weight, women with PMS had an average diastolic blood pressure of 72.3 mm Hg versus 69.1 mm Hg in women without PMS. Women with moderate or severe premenstrual nausea had even higher diastolic blood pressure, 77.7 mm Hg, compared with 71.0 mm Hg in women without nausea. Systolic blood pressure did not differ between groups.
What it means for you
This suggests PMS might be an early warning sign linked to blood pressure changes, but this was a cross-sectional study (a one-time snapshot, not followed over time) in a fairly small group, so it cannot prove PMS causes higher blood pressure. More research following women over time is needed.
72.3 vs 69.1
diastolic BP mmHg, PMS vs no PMS
77.7 vs 71.0
diastolic BP mmHg, nausea vs none
409
total women studied
About the study
- Original title
- Association of Premenstrual Syndrome with Blood Pressure in Young Adult Women
- Authors
- Bertone-Johnson ER, Houghton SC, Whitcomb BW et al.
- Journal
- Journal of women's health (2002)
- Year
- 2016
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 409
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2015.5636
Topics
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