Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is most often diagnosed in adolescents and young women who present with symptoms of hyperandrogenism and/or disorders of ovulation. The individuals and their doctors must be aware that PCOS carries various long-term health risks owing to its intrinsic hormonal derangement and also to the associated metabolic disorders such as obesity, hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance, and hyperlipidaemia. Many abnormalities found in young women with PCOS suggest that they are at risk for cardiovascular disease. The more commonly used parameters are the traditional measures of family history, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure and standard biochemical indices including fasting glycaemia, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. Obesity has a great impact on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes but the risk persists in non-obese women with PCOS. The risk factors for endometrial carcinoma include obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, unopposed estrogen and nulliparity.