Lifestyle and cardiovascular mortality in menopausal women: a population-based cohort study

There are models for cardiovascular risk prediction in the general population, but the prediction of risk in postmenopausal women has not been specifically studied. This study aimed to determine the association of lifestyle habits and chronic diseases with cardiovascular risk in menopausal women, as well as to build a risk scale.

Retrospective population-based cohort study using data from the 2011 National Health Survey of Spain as a data source, Women ≥ 50 years were included. The characteristics that best defined the life habits of the study women were collected, as well as their health status and self-reported medical history at the time of the survey. Follow-up data on all-cause mortality were obtained from participants from 2011 to 2017.

A total of 5953 women ≥ 50 years of age were included, with a mean age of 66.4 ± 11.4 years. The incidence of cardiovascular mortality in the follow-up period was 4%. Vegetable consumption less than 1 time/week (HR, 1.758), smoking (HR, 1.816) or excess hours of sleep (≥ 9h/day, HR, 1.809), or o have main daily activity sitting most of the time (HR, 2.757) were related to cardiovascular mortality. The predictive model presents an honest C-index in test sample of 0.8407 (95%CI, 0.8025-0.8789).

Life habits such as the consumption of vegetables, daily main activity, sleeping hours or smoking are risk factors for cardiovascular mortality of great relevance among menopausal women. A simple 6-year self-reported risk scale with high predictive capacity is provided.