Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their structure in healthy women. The main findings of the project “The three ages of a woman”

Abstract

Aims and objectives. Identify the priority features of the formation of the most significant diseases in women with the focus on the determination of disease markers and their development triggers.
 Materials and methods. 408 healthy women from the students and employees of The Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry named after A.I. Yevdokimov took part in the research. All the women completed a questionnaire, which was elaborated by the researchers. The survey contained questions designed to identify major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and explore dietary and physical activity habits, bad habits and diseases, gynaecological status.
 Results. All the participants were divided into 4 groups. The 1st group included 157 female subjects under the age of 24; the 2nd was represented by 113 women above the age of 25 who reported pregnancy and birth in their case history; the 3rd group was formed by non-parous 74 women of the same age and the 4th one consisted of 64 postmenopausal women. Complaints of dyspnea and unpleasant feelings in the region of the heart which were not caused by physical exercise were found, for the most part (р=0,001), in the women of the fourth group (73 % opposed to 36 % of cases in the 1st group). 18.4% of the interviewed smoked and were mainly found in the groups of reproductive-age women. Worth noting that lack of physical activity was reported in the groups. Inactivity was found predominantly (48 %, р=0,001) in the volunteers of the 4th group. A third of the women from that group noted the symptoms of physical activity intolerance represented by dyspnea and weakness. 41,4 % of the female subjects (n=169) had chronic conditions: most of them were gastrointestinal diseases with the prevalence of gastritis (36,5 %). The analysis of the gynaecological status of the interviewed allowed to discover ovarian dysfunction in 26,8 % of the interviewed women. 52 % of the women from the 1st group suffered from premenstrual syndrome. 14,7 % of the interviewed had a premature birth. 11,7 % of the women had undergone C-section. Pregnancy complications were reported in 15,4 % of the interviewed; 11,4 % of the cases were pregnancy losses. 28 % of the representatives of the 4th group reported surgical menopause. This group demonstrates the proven (р=0,001) increase of body mass index, high arterial pressure, hot flushes, insomnia.
 Conclusion. The conducted research allowed discovering significant negative impacts of smoking, low physical activity, unhealthy diet, especially, in the group of reproductive-age women. Hormonal disorders, pathology in pregnant women found in the groups of young subjects as well as high rate of somatic diseases in healthy women require an in-depth study of the identified risk groups.