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Selected cardiovascular risk factors in primary care patients
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Abstract
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.
Abstract
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.
Keywords
primary care; national health screening study; cardiovascular risk factors; visceral obesity; older subjects
Title
Selected cardiovascular risk factors in primary care patients
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original paper
Pages
370-376
Published online
2006-09-13
Page views
2916
Article views/downloads
8029
Bibliographic record
Nadciśnienie tętnicze 2006;10(5):370-376.
Keywords
primary care
national health screening study
cardiovascular risk factors
visceral obesity
older subjects
Authors
Joanna Sulicka
Maria Fornal
Barbara Gryglewska
Barbara Wizner
Tomasz Grodzicki