High prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in Brazilian postmenopausal women with low and intermediate risk by Framingham score

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causeof mortality among women in several countries. Early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) could enable the adoption of preventive measures to avoid cardiovascular events. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SA in Brazilian asymptomatic postmenopausal womenin Framingham Risk Score (FRS) low and intermediategroups. Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US)scans were performed in 138 asymptomatic postmenopausal women (56.1±4.9 years of age) to survey for coronary artery and aortic calcification (CT scan) and assesscarotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and identify carotidplaques (US). The mean FRS was 2.64±2.13%. The prevalence of increased CIMT, carotid plaques, increased CIMT and/or plaques, coronary artery calcification (CAC)>0 and aortic calcification (AC) were, respectively, 45.7,37.7, 62.3, 23.9 and 45.7%. Normal imaging tests werefound in 22.4%. SA, defined as at least one abnormalimaging test, was associated with age, FRS, waist-to-ripratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HDL-c andApoA1 levels, and ApoA1/ApoB ratio...