Palpitation linked to vasomotor symptoms, anxiety in menopausal women

Middle-aged women commonly experience rapid, irregular heartbeats, which a recent study has shown to be associated with vasomotor symptoms and anxiety.

The study included 394 women aged 40–59 years (108 premenopausal, 85 perimenopausal, and 201 postmenopausal). Severity of palpitation was assessed based on responses to the Menopausal Symptom Scale. Researchers also analysed the relationship between autonomic nervous system activity and palpitation in a subgroup of 198 women.

In the cohort, 26.4 percent of the women did not report heartbeat irregularities. Among those who did, palpitation was mild in 32.7 percent, moderate in 29.4 percent, and severe in 11.4 percent.

Compared with controls, women who were more severely affected by palpitation had higher systolic blood pressure, performed less physical activity, scored lower in the sit-and-reach test, had higher vasomotor symptoms score in the Menopausal Health Related-Quality of Life questionnaire, and higher scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed that women with moderate-to-severe vs no palpitation were more likely to have higher vasomotor symptom score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.18, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], l 1.07-1.31) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety subscale score (aOR, 1.19, 95 percent CI, 1.12–1.27).

The analysis included factors such as age, menopausal status, body composition, cardiovascular parameters, basal metabolism, physical fitness, lifestyle factors, vasomotor, and psychological symptoms on palpitation as confounders.