Myocardial infarction risk factors and well-being among 50-year-old women before and after the menopause: The population study “50-year-old people in Kungsör”

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether early menopause has a negative influence on the traditional ischaemic heart disease (IHD) risk factor pattern and on well-being. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population study. SETTING: Kungsör, a semirural community in mid-Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: All 155 women in Kungsör who became 50 years old in 1984-7. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Traditional IHD risk factors and self assessed well-being measures. RESULTS: Women who smoked had an earlier menopause than others. Postmenopausal women had significantly higher serum cholesterol levels (and haemoglobin levels), and more sleep disturbances than premenopausal women. There were no significant differences in other self-rated well-being, but home and family situation, patience, anxiety, and sleep disturbances tended to become worse with time from menopause. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may be interpreted as evidence indicating that the menopause affects the IHD risk factor profile and well-being negatively.