The prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis among middle school students in Sopot, Poland: results of the SOPKARD 15 programme.

Background: SOPKARD 15 is a comprehensive programme to assess the health status of a population of teenagers. The aspects assessed in the study are: physical development, nutritional status, arterial blood pressure, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, oral hygiene, and psychological parameters.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the study population.

[Program of early diagnosis of chronic renal disease in children--SopKard 15 nephrological project].

The Sopot Program of Cardiac Infarct and Stroke Prevention--SopKard 1999-2009 was established for health promotion to decrease cardio-vascular diseases mortality. To serve these purposes a new project SopKard 15 for adolescents was created. The main aim of SopKard 15 is evaluation of health status with particular attention to risk factors of civilization diseases, with chronic kidney disease (CKD) among them.

Social support level in relation to metabolic syndrome--results of the SOPKARD study.

Background: Low level of social support is one of the psychosocial cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, social support level (SSL) has been reported to be associated with components of metabolic syndrome (MS).

Aim: To evaluate the association of SSL with MS in 50- and 60-year-old citizens of Sopot.

Relationship between the prevalence of depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome. Results of the SOPKARD Project.

Introduction: Depression is a newly recognised risk factor for ischaemic heart disease (IHD). The results of many studies show that depression may contribute to the development of components of metabolic syndrome, such as arterial hypertension, obesity and glycaemic abnormalities. Thus it may have a significant impact on IHD development and worsen the course of an already established disorder.

[The role of medical university in modern prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Examples from Medical University of Gdańsk].

Constant worsening of epidemiological situation in cardiovascular diseases in Poland in the 70's and 80's called for intensive measures in the field of preventive cardiology. Thus in 90's, in order to change this situation, among others, team from Department of Hypertension and Diabetology from Medical University of Gdańsk started, in cooperation with other medical universities, important regional and national research programs and preventive interventions. The aim of the educational program carried out in years 1999-2001 for Members of the Polish Parliament, opinion leaders and decision makers was to increase knowledge of the Polish elites about epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in our country.