Characteristics of postmenopausal women with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Background: there is a growing interest in doing research into the relationship that menopause could have with acute coronary syndrome.Objective: to characterize postmenopausal women with acute coronary syndrome treated at the “Amalia Simoni” Provincial Medico-chirurgical Teaching Hospital of Camagüey, from May 2017 to May 2018.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out with patients of the aforementioned institution and during the period herein declared. The study population consisted of 124 postmenopausal patients, between 35 and 59 years of age, who were admitted to the ward of seriously ill patients with a diagnosis of acute ischemic heart disease. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis.Results: there was a higher incidence in the 50 to 59 age group (57,3 %) and a higher frequency of normal onset of menopause (73,4 %). Acute unstable angina (52,4 %) followed by ST-elevation myocardial infarction (32,2 %) were the most frequent types of acute ischemic heart disease. Hypertension (73,4 %) was the associated risk factor with the highest incidence. Arrhythmias and cardiogenic shock were the most frequent complications, as well as the main cause of death. Mortality was 9,7 %.Conclusions: acute coronary syndrome was more frequent in women aged 50 years or older, due to acute unstable angina and with a predominance of arterial hypertension as the most frequent associated risk factor.

Keywords

• women
• postmenopause
• hypertension
• acute coronary syndrome