Epidemiology of Vascular Risk Factors in Climacteric Women. Experience of a Multidisciplinary Climacteric Clinic at a Public Hospital in Buenos Aires

pp. 315-322

Abstract

Background. Vascular events in women increase after menopause. In order to reduce their impact on morbidity and mortality, vascular risk factors should be detected and controlled.

Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze vascular risk factors in climacteric women comparing differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal women, and to evaluate the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidemia in association with age and/or postmenopause.

Methods. This cross-sectional 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 (SMK) and depression symptoms were evaluated.

Results. Of the 440 women analyzed in the study, with mean age 51.4 ± 5.2 years and median age 51.0 years, 62.5% were postmenopausal. Hypertension was found in 22.1% of women, diabetes mellitus 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%, sedentarism 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 mellitus and dyslipidemia were associated with aging.