Relationship between cardiovascular parameters and body mass index in perimenopausal women

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in women worldwide. Estrogen deficiency due to menopause is associated with an increased risk of this pathology.
Objective: To analyze cardiovascular risk factors in perimenopausal women with at least one major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipemia) between the ages of 45 and 60 of two urban primary care services.
Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study in two health centers in the city of Ourense (Novoa Santos Health Center and A Ponte Health Center). The variables analyzed were: estrogenic activity, pharmacological treatment, smoking habit, quality of life, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (cHDL), low-density lipoprotein (cLDL) and triglycerides, systolic blood pressure (TAS), diastolic blood pressure (TAD), heart rate (FC). The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Galicia. Data analysis was performed through the free R software.
Results: 316 women participated, of whom 64.9% were menopausal. The average age of the sample was 53.35 ± 4.35 years. The average BMI value was 28,125 ± 5.54 Kg/m2. 27.8% said they had a smoking habit. 77.2% of the women in the sample had total cholesterol levels ≥200 mg/dL. In relation to the cLDL, in 72.6% of the population studied it was ≥130 mg/dL. A statistically significant correlation was observed between BMI and triglyceride, cHDL, TAS, TAD and FC levels.
Conclusion: Perimenopausal women had a high prevalence of smoking habit, obesity and overweight, despite suffering at least one cardiovascular risk factor. On the other hand they showed a low quality of life in both the physical and mental dimension