Overweight obesity and cardiovascular risk in menopausal transition

Introduction: the hormonal decline that is characteristic of the menopause, in conjunction with the associated weight gain, is considered a determinant factor of cardiovascular risk. Objetive: to examine weight status in relation to clinical symptoms during the menopausal transition, in women referred from primary care to an endocrinology specialist, to determine potential cardiovascular risk profiles. Method: observational analytic cross-sectional study, conducted with data from medical records created at time of referral. Study population: 805 women aged 40 years or older, a sufficient number of subjects and medical records for cardiovascular risk to be estimated. Results: hierarchic cluster analysis distinguished four clusters. The prevalence of obesity in each one exceeded 60%. The highest mean cardiovascular risk was observed in women who were older and presented obesity and hypertension. In younger age groups, the risk was low, rising to levels similar to those of the older women by the age of 65 years. Conclusion: these results suggest that preventive and therapeutic monitoring of obesity and modifiable risk factors should be conducted during the menopausal transition, to reduce the risk attributable to these factors, a risk that increases with time.