Age at Menarche and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: Findings From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-Sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation.

Background Previous studies have reported an association between the timing of menarche and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ). However, emerging studies have not examined the timing of menarche in relation to role of estrogen over a lifetime and major adverse cardiac events ( MACE ). Methods and Results A total of 648 women without surgical menopause undergoing coronary angiography for suspected ischemia in the WISE (Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation) study were evaluated at baseline and followed for 6 years (median) to assess major adverse CVD outcomes.