Menopause, hot flashes, and heart health in midlife women
Official title: Menopause-related Vasomotor Symptoms and Cardiovascular Health
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11403859 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how menopause-related hot flashes may connect to heart disease risk in midlife women and whether treating hot flashes can improve heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $739,229 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL180648-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403859 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Peri- and post-menopausal women with cardiometabolic risk factors and a range of hot-flash experiences
✕Less likely to help
Women without menopausal symptoms or without cardiometabolic risk factors may not benefit from this specific intervention
What this research studies
Midlife women with menopausal symptoms and cardiometabolic risk will be followed as they experience varying levels of hot flashes. The study will look at inflammation and blood vessel function to understand how hot flashes might contribute to cardiovascular risk. Researchers will test whether a new hot-flash treatment (NK3R antagonist) can reduce hot flashes and potentially improve vascular health. The work includes collecting clinical data, imaging, and biomarkers to explore the hot flash–inflammation–vascular health pathway.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could clarify why hot flashes relate to heart health and show whether treating hot flashes improves cardiovascular markers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests a link between hot flashes, inflammation, and vascular function, but the exact mechanism and impact of NK3R antagonists on CVD risk are still being explored
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lau, Emily — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Lau, Emily
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Enhancing Intergenerational Heart Health in Nigeria during Pregnancy and Early Life
A research project will test a healthy eating and active living program for pregnant women with obesity in Nigeria to help improve heart health for the mother and her children.
-
COVID-19 healthcare disruptions and heart health inequities in NYC adults with multiple conditions
This project looks at how COVID-19-related gaps in care affected heart health in adults with several chronic conditions in New York City.
-
ENRICH: A Center to Support Healthy Hearts for Moms and Kids
A nationwide effort at Johns Hopkins to test a consistent, family-focused program that helps mothers and their children develop healthier heart habits using home visiting, technology, and coordinated care.
-
Understanding how vaginal tissue changes after menopause affect reproductive health
A research team is studying why the vaginal lining changes after menopause and how this affects health, with potential solutions to improve comfort and reduce infection risk for postmenopausal women.
-
Early life air pollution and kids’ heart health: how metals in the air affect children from birth to age 12
This grant studies how pollution from cooking fires and wood smoke in early life may shape a child’s heart health through age 12.
-
Enhancing cardiovascular health for moms and kids at home
A multi-center program tests whether enhanced home visiting can improve heart health and growth in families from economically challenged communities by collecting more accurate pediatric height/weight data.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.