Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Young Czech Females with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
April 2003
in “
Human Reproduction
”
polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS body mass index BMI LDL cholesterol HDL cholesterol arterial hypertension impaired glucose tolerance fasting glucose cholesterol screening glucose tolerance testing coronary heart disease PCOS BMI bad cholesterol good cholesterol high blood pressure glucose tolerance test heart disease
TLDR Young Czech women with PCOS have a higher risk of heart problems and should be regularly checked for cholesterol and glucose issues.
In 2003, a study involving at least 50 Czech women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) found that they had a higher risk of cardiovascular issues compared to a control group of 335 women. The PCOS group had higher body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol, along with lower HDL cholesterol and HDL/total cholesterol ratio, even after adjusting for BMI. Arterial hypertension was more common in the PCOS group (22%) versus the control group (2.1%), and while fasting glucose levels were similar, impaired glucose tolerance was present in 11.8% of the PCOS group. The study suggested that the American Diabetic Association's criteria for impaired fasting glucose were not effective for this population, as none of the women with impaired glucose tolerance met these criteria. The study recommended cholesterol screening for all women with PCOS, glucose tolerance testing for obese women, and regular metabolic follow-ups to prevent early coronary heart disease.
