Cardiometabolic features of polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 10% of women and features a range of hormonal and metabolic abnormalities, many of which are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The authors of this article urge clinicians to be aware of this risk when dealing with even young women who have PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder comprising both hormonal and metabolic abnormalities that include impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, vascular disease, dyslipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. Insulin resistance is a central pathogenetic factor in PCOS that seems to result from a post-receptor-binding defect in insulin action. Insulin resistance and the consequent development of hyperinsulinemia contribute to the constellation of cardiometabolic abnormalities noted above. Although there is a paucity of data in regard to cardiovascular event rates and mortality in PCOS, an increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors has been well documented. Attention to the metabolic risks associated with PCOS, starting as early as adolescence, is essential to the medical care of these patients.