Hysterectomy: A New Risk Factor For Cardiovascular Disease

Study shows that the age at which a woman has the surgery may affect her heart disease risk, though the research shows varied results.

Published: April 4, 2011

One in three women in the US has a hysterectomy at some point in her life. The operation is often performed for uncontrolled bleeding, pelvic pain, fibroids or endometriosis-rarely for cancer. And while hysterectomy is considered a safe procedure, theres new evidence that it may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in some women who have the procedure before age 50.