Polycystic ovary syndrome and risk for myocardial infarction: Evaluated from a risk factor model based on a prospective population study of women

Abstract

In order to estimate whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased risk of developing myocardial infarction, a risk factor model was applied on 33 women with PCOS and 132 age matched referents. The risk factor model was established from independent risk factors for myocardial infarction in a prospective population study of 1462 women in Göteborg, Sweden. The independent risk factors were age, manifest hypertension, manifest diabetes mellitus, central obesity measured as increased waist to hip circumference ratio and serum triglyceride concentration. A considerably increased risk (relative risk of 7.4) of developing myocardial infarction was observed for women with PCOS compared to age-matched referents. Since the risk factors include variables correlated to obesity, the results indicate that advice on dietary restriction is an important part of the treatment once the diagnosis is established.

Long-term consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome on cardiovascular risk

“…Both disorders may contribute to the increase of cerebro-vascular and cardio-vascular events in this category of subjects (39). As previously reported, the increase of circulating inflammatory factors significantly influence the cardiovascular outcome in postmenopausal PCOS (39) and it is has been shown that this is linked to the role of the visceral adipose tissue (41). These findings suggest that body weight should be one of the main targets of the long-term treatment of PCOS (42).…”

Clinical outcome of various metformin treatments for women with polycystic ovary syndrome

“…Insulin resistance, diabetes, and hypertension are involved in the pathophysiology of PCOS,1 and metformin, an anti‐diabetic agent, has been reported to be useful for inducing ovulation in patients with PCOS. The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrine Committee has created treatment guidelines for PCOS and if patients with PCOS fail to ovulate by the use of clomiphene, then clomiphene plus metformin combination therapy is positioned as a treatment option 2, 3, 4.…”

The polycystic ovary syndrome: an example of obesity-related cardiovascular complication affecting young women

“…Inoltre, la PCOS è associata a rischi per la salute a lungo termine, inclusi il diabete mellito [10] e la CDV (Malattia Cardiovascolare) [11][12][13][14][15].…”

“…È stato riportato che il rischio di malattia coronarica e di infarto del miocardio è aumentato in pazienti con PCOS rispetto a donne con cicli regolari [11], anche se la mortalità dovuta a malattia circolatoria non sembra essere incrementata [17].…”

“…La PCOS non è solo una delle cause principali di infertilità nelle donne, ma è considerata anche una vera e propria sindrome plurimetabolica [2,4,5]: obesità [6], insulino-resistenza [7], dislipidemia [8], alterazione del sistema fibrinolitico [9], sono le conseguenze metaboliche spesso evidenti in questa sindrome.Inoltre, la PCOS è associata a rischi per la salute a lungo termine, inclusi il diabete mellito [10] e la CDV (Malattia Cardiovascolare) [11][12][13][14][15].In particolare l'insulino-resistenza, l'iperandrogenismo e la dislipidemia sono probabilmente tra i maggiori fattori di rischio per l'incidenza della CDV nella PCOS. Tali fattori di rischio cardiovascolare sono spesso evidenti in giovane età, suggerendo che le donne con PCOS, rappresentano un numeroso gruppo di donne in cui è aumentato il rischio di sviluppo precoce di CDV, anche se ciò non è attualmente dimostrato [16].…”