Women who reach menopause before age 40 face a meaningfully higher risk of developing high blood pressure than those who go through menopause after age 45, according to a new study of more than 107,000 women. The results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. The risk climbed steadily as age at menopause dropped: 16.6% of women with normal age at menopause developed hypertension, compared to 18.8% of women with early menopause and 22.6% of women with premature menopause. Based on these findings, the study authors recommend that clinicians treat age at menopause as a distinct cardiovascular risk factor, particularly for women who reach menopause before age 40. Reference: Premature menopause is associated with the development of blood pressure: a UK Biobank cohort study; The Menopause Society; Journal Menopause; DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000002834