Longitudinal study of risk factors for coronary heart disease across the menopausal transition

The patterns of change in blood lipids, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking and drinking behaviors, and exercise were examined in an on going longitudinal study from 1991 to 1995 of 150 middle-aged Melbourne, Au stralia, women as they passed through menopause. Changes in risk factors ov er time were examined with reference to time of the final menstrual period (FMP), Random effects models were fitted with adjustments for repeated meas ures and other covariates, including age, There were overall net increases between 3 years before and the 3 years after menopause of 0.25 mmol/liter f or low density lipoprotein cholesterol, 0.05 mmol/liter for high density li poprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol), 0.34 mmol/liter for triglycerides, 0.12 kg/m(2) for body mass index, and 0.48 mmHg for diastolic pressure. Th e proportion of drinkers decreased by 13%, that of smokers increased by 17% , and that of women who exercised at least once a week increased by 6%, The only change dependent on the FMP was a significant decrease in HDL cholest erol (counterbalanced by a similar rise in HDL cholesterol in the year befo re the FMP), and the rate of decrease was maximal around 9 months after men ses ceased, with an instantaneous estimate of slope of 0.55 mmol/liter per year.