Undiagnosed airflow limitation in patients at cardiovascular risk.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) share risk factors and impair each other's prognosis.

Aims: To assess the prevalence of airflow limitation (AL) compatible with COPD in a population at cardiovascular risk and to identify determinants of AL.

Methods: All consecutive patients referred to the cardiovascular prevention unit of a university hospital in 2009 were studied in a cross-sectional analysis.