Women who have undergone hysterectomies suffer hardened arteries
compared to other women, according to a study by the University
of Colorado School of Medicine. More than 600,000 hysterectomies
— removal of the uterus — are performed each year, making it the
second most common surgery for women in the U.S. (A colleague
asked what’s the most common female surgery, but she already
guessed accurately at the answer I had to look up: C-section for
childbirth.) “The message here is that having a hysterectomy may
lead to large artery stiffening, which can lead to the
development of cardiovascular disease,” said Kerrie Moreau, an
associate professor at the SOM and lead author of the study.
“Knowing this, women who have had a hysterectomy will need to be
more vigilant about their cardiovascular health.” The results
could help researchers explore higher risks for cardiovascular
disease, which remains the No. 1 cause of death in women,
according to a University of Colorado Denver release. The
finding may help explain th