Abstract

ZYLBERSZTEJN, Horacio M. et al. Epidemiology of Vascular Risk Factors in Climacteric Women.: Experience of a Multidisciplinary Climacteric Clinic at a Public Hospital in Buenos Aires. Rev. argent. cardiol. [online]. 2013, vol.81, n.4, pp.336-343. ISSN 1850-3748.

Background Cardiovascular events in women increase after menopause. In order to reduce their impact on morbidity and mortality, vascular risk factors should be detected and controlled. Objectives The aim of the study was to analyze cardiovascular risk factors in climacteric women comparing differences between pre and postmenopausal women, and to evaluate the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidemia in association with age and/or postmenopause. Methods This crosssectional study included all the women who consecutively attended the Multidisciplinary Climacteric Clinic for symptoms related to alterations and/or cessation of menstruation between 2004 and 2009. Age, blood pressure, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, metabolic syndrome (MS), sedentarism, smoking and depression symptoms were evaluated. Results A total of 440 women, 62.5% postmenopausal, with mean age 51.4 ± 5.2 years, and median age 51.0 years were analyzed. Hypertension was found in 22.1% of women, diabetes in 4.2%, total cholesterol = 200 mg/dL in 67.7%, HDL-C < 50 mg/dL in 20.6%, hypertriglyceridemia in 28.5%, WC > 88 cm in 45.0%, WC > 80 cm in 75.1%, BMI > 25 in 64.5%, MS in 19.4%, seden-tarism in 51.7%, smoking in 22.5% and depression symptoms in 69.8%. Postmenopausal women had higher total cholesterol levels and lower weight. Those with more than 5 years of amenorrhea had both higher total cholesterol and weight. Smokers were younger. Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were associated with older age but not with postmenopause. Conclusions Dyslipidemia, overweight, sedentarism and depression symptoms were prevalent across all groups. Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were associated with aging.

Keywords : Menopause; Vascular Risk Factors; Metabolic Syndrome; Aging.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · English ( pdf ) | Spanish ( pdf )