Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese and Non-obese Postmenopausal Women

Background: After menopause, women undergo substantial hormonal changes that are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This risk is further exacerbated in individuals with obesity. Cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension and dyslipidemia, contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality observed in postmenopausal women. However, there is a paucity of data comparing cardiovascular risk markers between obese and non-obese postmenopausal women within the Pakistani population. This gap underlines the requirement for further research to better comprehend the interplay between obesity and cardiovascular health in this demographic. Objective: To compare the lipid profile and blood pressure of obese and non-obese post-menopausal women with BMI < 25 and above 25. Method: This is a cross-sectional comparative study conducted in Postgraduate Medical Institute, Ameer-ud-Din Medical College, LGH, Lahore, December 2019 - July 2021 that includes 80 post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 to 65 years. Subjects were divided into two groups: Group I had obese & over-weight (BMI ? 25 kg/m²) while Group II included non-obese (BMI ? 25 kg/m²) post-menopausal women. After recording anthropometric measurements, blood samples were collected in fasting state of 9 to 12 hours, to evaluate triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was conducted over a period of 6 hours. IBM-SPSS version 23 was used to perform statistical analysis. p ? 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein levels were significantly higher with significantly lower HDL levels in the group with BMI above 25 as compared to the BMI < 25 group (p<0.001). BMI above 25 group also showed elevated levels of arterial blood pressure, with a significant difference in diastolic and systolic pressures (p<0.001). The Mann-Whitney U test and independent t-test showed significant differences in all evaluated cardiovascular risk markers among the two groups. Conclusion: Obese and over-weight post-menopausal women show significantly higher levels of cardiovascular risk markers than their normal and under-weight counterparts. Prompt intervention and lifestyle modifications can prove essential in mitigating these risks.