THE PREVALENCE OF METABOLIC DISORDERS AND HYPERTENSION IN WOMEN DURING PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE.

Objective: Cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease, and their associated factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and obesity are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. At a young age, cardiometabolic diseases prevalence is higher in men than women, but this female advantage gradually disappears with aging, particularly after menopause, when cardiometabolic risk factors accumulate. Design and method: The study included 200 middle-aged women, 131 (65.5%) premenopausal women under the age of 49, and 69 (34.5%) women in menopause (aged 50-59), who participated in a preventive screening in December 2024. The aim of our research was to highlight the prevalence of metabolic disorders and their association with hypertension in women during perimenopause and menopause. Results: Hypertension was statistically significantly more common in women in menopause (84.1%) compared to premenopausal women (p<0.001). Women in menopause had significantly higher rates of metabolic disorders, increased body mass and obesity, with 66.7% of the participants affected, as well as a larger waist circumference in 63.8% of the participants (p=0.003). Menopausal women had statistically significant higher levels of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol than premenopausal women (p=0.002). Among women going through menopause, diabetes mellitus was statistically substantially more prevalent, affecting 27% of them (p=0.002). Premenopausal women had a statistically significant greater prevalence of hypothyroidism (14.7%) than did menopausal women (4.3%) (chi-square = 4.905, p = 0.027). These two groups of participants did not differ significantly in terms of sedentary habits, smoking, or family history of hypertension. Risk factors such as elevated homocysteine and uric acid levels, as well as vitamin D deficiency, did not show significant differences. Conclusions: Type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidaemia, and hypertension were all substantially more common in menopausal women. Preventive screenings are therefore crucial for women going through menopause and perimenopause in order to promptly detect and treat cardiometabolic disorders and prevent more serious cardiovascular diseases.