[The post menopausal climacteric woman with coronary artery disease: implications to quality of life].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the quality of life of post menopausal women with coronary artery disease.


METHODS
The population consisted of 100 women, divided into 2 groups. The first group made up of 50 women whose average age was 58 +/- 4,2 years with > stable coronary artery disease (CAD) proved by angiography undergoing treatment at The Heart Institute (InCor) - University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil (CAD group). This group was compared with 50 women (55.1 +/- 5.4 years old) without clinical evidence of coronary artery disease (control group) from a primary health care center, Centro de Saúde Escola Geraldo de Paula Souza, São Paulo - FSP- USP. The quality of life was assessed by a structured interview and by Medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) validated to the Brazilian population.


RESULTS
They were homogenous regarding age of the last menstruation period: 49 +/- 3.9 years old in CAD and 49.2 +/- 3 years old in controls. The groups were also similar in education level, marital status (64% of CAD and 45% of controls were married; and 18% of CAD and 24% of controls were widowhood). The active working status was more frequent in controls than in CAD (52% vs. 14%; p= 0.0001). Both groups showed similar perceptions in their sexual experience. The evaluation of quality of life by SF-36 showed better scores for the control group in: physical functioning (84 vs. 50.5), role physical (84 vs. 45,5), general health (87.2 vs. 59.1), vitality (69.7 vs. 51,4), p<0.0001; and total score of mental components (70.4 vs. 58.6), p = 0.028.


CONCLUSIONS
Coronary artery disease alters the quality of life of climacteric women by limiting the physical capacity to perform ordinary daily activities and by intensifying emotional conflicts usually present in this phase of life.
Favarato
M E
ME
Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. psielenita@incor.usp.br
Aldrighi
J M
JM
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D019529:Sexuality; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors