PCOS: metabolic impact and long-term management.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrinopathy in women, affecting up to 10% of those in reproductive age. Furthermore, PCOS presents a lifetime risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and endometrial cancer. Women with PCOS have increased cardiovascular risk; however, the risk is not the same in all patients and it is necessary to assess an individual risk profile. There is a discrepancy between increased cardiovascular risk at young age and postmenopausal number of cardiovascular events, probablu depending on changes in androgen ovarian function after the forties. However, changes with age of metabolic profile in women with PCOS have not been studied yet and many more data are necessary.