Research shows blood vessel link to hot flushes

HOT flushes suffered by menopausal women could be caused by abnormalities in the function of blood vessels, new research has suggested.

The flushes affect more than 75% of women going through the menopause.

Wellbeing of Women, a British charity which funded the study, hopes the findings could lead to new treatments for the problem, offering an alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

Under normal circumstances, if the body temperature rises, the blood vessels under the skin dilate in order to lose heat, leading to reddening of the skin and sweating.

Mary Ann Lumsden, Professor of Medical Education and Gynaecology at the University of Glasgow, believes patients who experience severe hot flushes may actually have an abnormality in the function of the blood vessels.

When over-heating occurs, it sends signals to the body to “lose heat” by dilating blood vessels and producing sweat.

However, Prof Lumsden’s new findings suggest abnormalities in the blood vessels themselves may also contribute to theoveractive response seen in many menopausal women.