Scientists found that women who experienced menopause before turning 40 were significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who reached menopause after age 45. Women with early menopause had higher rates of hypertension, and those with premature menopause had the highest rates. Previous studies linked early menopause with heart attacks and strokes, but evidence regarding high blood pressure has been mixed. Earlier blood pressure checks, healthy lifestyle advice and appropriate hormone therapy may help lower future health problems for selected women. The findings do not mean every woman with premature menopause will develop hypertension, nor do they prove that menopause directly causes high blood pressure.