Selected cardiovascular risk factors in primary care patients

Abstract

Background Cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of mortality in Poland due to the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in population. The main goal of the presented study was to assess the prevalence of the major cardiovascular risk factors in patients visiting general practitioners.
Material and methods The study was performed in 256 units of primary care in Poland in 2004 and 2005. The study group consisted of all the patients visiting general practitioners during this period. They were asked to answer a questionnaire about age, health behaviors, concomitant diseases and family history of cardiovascular diseases. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and pulse measurements were taken, as well as laboratory strip tests for glucose.
Results 61 641 patients aged between 14 and 102 years were examined; 42% were men. 74% of patients were hypertensive, only 5.6% had optimal blood pressure < 120/80 mm Hg and "pre-hypertension" was diagnosed in 20,4% of patients. A half of study population was overweight, 25% of them were obese, 33,4% had visceral obesity. When referring to the latest definition of the metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity the number increased to 59%. Glucose >125 mg/dl has been measured in 7.5% of younger and 27% of older subjects. About 35% of younger and 13% of older patients were smokers.
Conclusions The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among the patients visiting general practitioners is much higher than in general population in Poland, which proves the importance of education programs in primary care units.