New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- Changes linked to future heart disease in women may begin nearly two decades before menopause, a new study suggests, challenging the long-held belief that menopause is the main trigger for age-related cardiovascular changes.

The research, published in Hypertension on September 14, found that pulse pressure - the difference between the top and bottom numbers in a blood pressure reading - begins rising in women in their late 30s, about a decade earlier than in men. This has traditionally been attributed to menopause and the decline in estrogen levels. However, the new research suggests the process may begin years before menopause starts.

The study's authors analysed data from more than 6,500 women and more than 3,00...