Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in Surinamese living in Suriname and The Netherlands: the HELISUR and HELIUS studies.

We studied hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among persons living in a middle-income country compared with those of similar ethnicity living in a high-income country. Data from the cross-sectional HELISUR and HELIUS studies were used among 1000 Surinamese and 6971 Surinamese migrants living in The Netherlands (18-70 years), respectively. Groups were formed based on country and self-defined ethnicity, and stratified by sex.

Aortic pulse wave velocity in individuals of Asian and African ancestry: the HELISUR study.

Aortic pulse wave velocity has emerged as an important predictor of cardiovascular events, but data on ethnic differences in pulse wave velocity remain scarce. We explored differences in pulse wave velocity between people of Asian and African ancestry. Data were used from the cross-sectional Healthy Life in Suriname (HELISUR) study.

The risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in women with uterine fibroids.

Women with fibroids have a notably high hypertension risk. However, adjusted data regarding other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are scarce. In this cross-sectional study, CVD risk factors, hemodynamic parameters, and asymptomatic organ damage were analyzed between women with uterine fibroids and controls in a multi-ethnic population.

Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk Profile in a Middle-Income Setting: The HELISUR Study.

Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor responsible for premature death worldwide, but its burden has shifted to low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, we studied hypertension and cardiovascular risk in the population of Suriname, a middle-income country with a predominantly urban population of African and Asian ancestry.

Methods: A random sample of 1,800 noninstitutionalized men and women aged 18-70 years was selected to be interviewed at home and examined at the local hospital for cardiovascular risk factors, asymptomatic organ damage, and cardiovascular disease.

Physical activity and obesity: is there a difference in association between the Asian- and African- Surinamese adult population?

Objective: The role of different physical activity (PA) characteristics, i.e. domain, duration and intensity in obesity prevention still requires investigation.

Assessing the feasibility of the Healthy Life in Suriname Study: using advanced hemodynamics to evaluate cardiovascular risk.

Objectives: To determine the feasibility of assessing population cardiovascular risk with advanced hemodynamics in the Healthy Life in Suriname (HELISUR) study.

Methods: This was a preliminary study conducted in May - June 2012 using the Technical-Economic-Legal-Operational-Scheduling (TELOS) method to assess the feasibility of the HELISUR-a large-scale, cross-sectional population study of cardiovascular risk factors and disease in Suriname. Suriname, a middle-income country in South America with a population of mostly African and Asian ethnicity, has a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Health literacy in Suriname.

Background: Low health literacy is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality. However, data on health literacy in low- and middle-income countries are scarce. Therefore, we assessed the level of health literacy in Suriname, a middle-income country with a high cardiovascular mortality.

Creatine kinase as a marker of obesity in a multi-ethnic population.

Objective: Creatine kinase (CK), the central regulatory enzyme of energy metabolism, is particularly high in type II skeletal muscle fibers, which are associated with insulin resistance and obesity. As resting plasma CK is mainly derived from skeletal muscle, we assessed whether plasma CK is associated with markers of obesity.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed a random sample of the multi-ethnic population of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, consisting of 1444 subjects aged 34-60 years.

Exploring cardiovascular health: the Healthy Life in Suriname (HELISUR) study. A protocol of a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Obesity, hypertension and diabetes are on a dramatic rise in low-income and middle-income countries, and this foretells an overwhelming increase in chronic disease burden from cardiovascular disease. Therefore, rapid action should be taken through preventive population-based programmes. However, in these regions, data on the population distribution of cardiovascular risk factors, and of intermediate and final end points for cardiovascular disease are scarce.