Vasomotor Symptoms in Middle-Aged Women from Policlínico Universitario Dr. Cosme Ordoñez Carceller

Abstract

Introduction: Hot flushes are the most characteristic vasomotor manifestation of climacteric, which motivates women to seek medical attention.

Objective: To determine the frequency and intensity of vasomotor symptoms in middle-aged women.

Methods: The study corresponded to an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional research conducted in the period from January 2018 to December 2022. The working universe consisted of 2962 middle-aged women from Policlínico Universitario Dr. Cosme Ordoñez Carceller. The sample, selected by simple stratified sampling, was 353 women. For collecting the data, a clinical history model was used, from which aspects were taken, referring to sociodemographic data, age of climacteric symptoms onset and menopause, as well as circulatory symptoms and their intensity in relation to the stage of the climacteric syndrome.

Results: A total of 353 women were attended. The most frequently reported symptoms were hot flushes (80.2 %) and headache (70.2 %). A 29.2 % of the women referred to perceive vasomotor symptomatology with critical intensity.

Conclusions: Vasomotor symptoms are the most frequent clinical manifestation in the climacteric period, affecting more than two thirds of women. It’s symptomatology appears more frequently between 45 and 49 years of age, in the perimenopause, and with critical intensity, which corresponds to what is reported in the literature.