Blood pressure and contributing factors in inhabitants of Estonia: 15-year trends.

Aim: To study the 15-year trends of blood pressure (BP) values in inhabitants of Estonia, three independent random samples of the population of Tallinn aged 20-54 years were examined in 1984/86, 1992/94 and in 1999/2001.

Results: A substantial decrease in BP values was observed in the population of Tallinn by the early 1990s; it continued to a smaller extent during the late 1990s. An improvement in some factors contributing to the development of arterial hypertension: decrease in body mass index (BMI) mean values and positive dietary changes were observed during this period.

Some biological cardiovascular risk factors and diet in samples of the male population of Tallinn, Estonia in 1984/1985 and 1992/1993.

Background: The role of diet in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease is well known from animal, clinical and epidemiological studies; the influence of dietary factors is realized through their impact on body mass, lipids and blood pressure. The aim of this investigation was to study the levels of some biological risk factors: blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides and body mass, as well as nutrition, in the male population of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, in 1984/1985 and 1992/1993 (the transition period).

Methods: Two independent random samples of the male population of Tallinn, aged 30 to 54, were examined in 1984/1985 (1,890 men) and in 1992/1993 (752 men).