Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk among Peri and Post-Menopausal Women

Abstract

Backgrounds

Peri- and postmenopausal women are among the high risk group to develop cardiovascular diseases, yet most of this group of women have inaccurate perception regarding their risk of getting the cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to determine accuracy of self-perception on cardiovascular risk and its associated factor among these women attending primary care clinic.

Methodology

This study is a cross sectional study involving 292 peri and post- menopausal women who attended outpatient clinic in Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital from May to August 2015. A Bahasa Malaysia version of Perception of Risk of Heart Disease Scale was used to assess participants’ perception on their cardiovascular risk. Framingham Risk Score  2008 was used to calculate cardiovascular risk.

Results

A total of 265 patients responded. Mean age of the participants were 57.4 ± 7. 87.5% perceived themselves in moderate cardiovascular risk group. 81.9% inaccurately perceived their cardiovascular risk with 48.7% underestimate their  risk . Diabetes mellitus,  age and  systolic blood pressure were associated with underestimation of cardiovascular risk

Conclusion

A significant proportion of participants inaccurately perceived their cardiovascular risk and almost half underestimated their risk. More health education need to be done among this group of patients.