Revista Argentina de Cardiología · Mar 25, 2026
Epidemiology of vascular risk factors in climacteric women. Experience of a multidisciplinary climacteric clinic in a public hospital in Buenos Aires
By Zylbersztejn HM, Kusznier SG, Olivares GB et al.
INTRODUCTION: In women, the occurrence of vascular events increases after menopause. To reduce their impact on morbidity and mortality, vascular risk factors must be detected and controlled. OBJECTIVES: To analyze vascular risk factors in climacteric women. To investigate differences in these factors between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. To evaluate the presence of arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidemia in association with age and/or postmenopause. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of women who consecutively attended the Multidisciplinary Climacteric Clinic between 2004 and 2009 for symptoms related to changes in and/or cessation of menstruation. The following were evaluated: age, blood pressure, waist circumference (PC), body mass index (IMC), blood glucose, total cholesterol, C-HDL, C-LDL, triglycerides, metabolic syndrome (SM), sedentary lifestyle, smoking (TBQ) and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 440 women were analyzed, age 51.4 ± 5.2 years, median 51.0 years; 62.5% were postmenopausal. Arterial hypertension was found in 22.1%, diabetes mellitus in 4.2%, total cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dl in 67.7%, C-HDL < 50 mg/dl in 20.6%, hypertriglyceridemia in 28.5%, PC > 88 cm in 45.0%, PC > 80 cm in 75.1%, IMC > 25 in 64.5%, SM in 19.4%, sedentary lifestyle in 51.7%, TBQ in 22.5% and depressive symptoms in 69.8%. Postmenopausal women had higher total cholesterol and lower weight. Those with more than 5 years of amenorrhea had higher total cholesterol and higher weight. Smokers were younger. Arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia were associated with older age and not with postmenopause. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalences of dyslipidemia, overweight, sedentary lifestyle and depressive symptoms were observed. Arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia were associated with aging.