Understanding how heart stiffness changes in aging women, especially during menopause.
Official title: Evaluating the natural evolution of myocardial stiffness in aging, sex differences, and through menopause transition in women, using a free-breathing magnetic resonance elastography approach
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11004034 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how heart stiffness changes in women as they get older, especially during menopause, to help understand how hormones might affect heart health and find ways to catch potential problems early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $525,686 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL151379-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11004034 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are post-menopausal women or those approaching menopause who are concerned about heart health.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not women or those who are not experiencing menopause may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how heart stiffness evolves in women as they age, particularly during the menopausal transition. It aims to understand the hormonal changes that may contribute to increased stiffness, which can lead to heart failure. Using a non-invasive technique called magnetic resonance elastography, the study will establish normal stiffness values and explore sex differences in heart health. This approach allows for better monitoring and potential early intervention strategies for cardiovascular disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies for heart disease in post-menopausal women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding cardiovascular changes during menopause, but this specific approach using non-invasive imaging is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Forghanian-Arani, Arvin — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Forghanian-Arani, Arvin
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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.