[Myocardial Infarction Registry conducted forty years ago in Hungary].

Aims: Authors summarize the most important findings of the Myocardial Infarction Community Registry conducted in Hungary 40 years ago. The report is important because data are not available on the internet through literature search and since 40 years such study has not been performed. The incidence of acute myocardial infarction in subjects older than 20 years of age in the population of South Pest with 400 000 inhabitants in 1971 was 50.

[Prevention of cardiovascular diseases: collaborative program].

The so-called Program for preventive collaboration model joins the expertise of specialists and GPs and as such allocates for the effective, cost saving, secure screening of individuals with high and intermediate cardiovascular risk and identifying asymptomatic patients within a big population. Based on SCORE risk assessment GPs define their patients cardiovascular risk. In Gottsegen György Institute of Hungarian Cardiology on patients with intermediate or high risk ankle-brachial doppler index, carotis intima media thickness, artery stiffness, microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy are diagnosed.

[Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries in a case-control study based on the INTERHEART study].

An international, standardised case-control study was established to assess the importance of risk factors for coronary heart disease worldwide. From 52 countries representing every inhabited continent 15152 cases and 14820 controls were enrolled. The relation of smoking, history of hypertension and/or diabetes, waist/hip ratio, dietary patterns, physical activity, consumption of alcohol, blood apolipoproteins and psychosocial factors to myocardial infarction was reported.

Control of hypertension in the population. Strategies in affluent and developing countries.

Control of hypertension in population. Strategies in affluent and developing countries. The control of hypertension encompasses primary prevention, early detection and adequate treatment of high blood pressure.

Development of public policy and physical activity initiatives internationally.

Epidemiological, pathological, clinical, and experimental studies over the past 40 years convincingly show that physical inactivity and low physical fitness contribute substantially to the major chronic diseases prevalent in industrialised societies. Several industrialised countries around the world report increases in physical activity participation among adults in recent years, but the prevalence of inactivity remains high. These increases in voluntary exercise are at least partially offset by decreasing daily energy demands due to increased mechanisation at home, at work and during leisure-time.

Lessons from worldwide experience with hypertension control.

Control of hypertension encompasses primary prevention, early detection and adequate treatment of high blood pressure. Primary prevention involves action at the community level to reduce obesity, alcohol and salt consumption, and increase physical activity. Management of hypertension involves diagnostic work-up, assessment of overall CVD risk, nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatment.

Review of community intervention studies on cardiovascular risk factors.

The concept of community intervention in the field of cardiovascular disease prevention was introduced in the late sixties and early seventies. The WHO European Collaborative Trial in the multifactorial prevention of coronary heart disease used communities (factories) in a traditional controlled trial. The intervention used in this trial was an extension of a medical care model with preventive elements.

Lifestyle for preventing cardiovascular disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee recommends dietary changes together with the smoking-control programs for prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the population. Promoting habitual physical activity is an important part of the population strategy. The lifestyle changes proposed in the population strategy require professional education, community leader education, public education, mass media education, community organization, and environmental changes.

The role of health promotion in prevention policy against cardiovascular diseases in Hungary.

The development of public health has been a high priority in recent years in Hungary. In spite of concentrated efforts to establish a more advanced health service, the health status of the population has not improved and trends in mortality and morbidity are still unfavourable. Risk factors from the environment and from health-damaging behaviour are generally accepted as the main causes of cardiac diseases, yet lay people still think that progress in therapy can compensate for the effects of an unhealthy, overstrained and self-exploiting way of life.

Prediction of stable high blood pressure in adolescents.

We studied the relative importance of the initial BP and associated factors in adolescents to predict stable high BP. Out of 17,634 children aged 12-13 yrs an upper group/the upper 5% of the distribution curves for both SBP and DBP/a lower group/10% random from the remainder/were yearly followed for 4 yrs/boys: 1680, girls: 1643/. About 2/3 of children remained at the same percentile point: less than 30% and greater than or equal to 70% of SBP and half of them of DBP distribution.

Factors associated with stable high blood pressure in adolescents.

Our aim was to study the relative importance of the factors associated with stable high blood pressure (BP) in adolescents. Out of 17 634 children born in 1964 and screened in 1977, two samples, an upper group [the upper 5% of the distribution curves for both systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures] and a lower group (a 10% random sample from the remainder), were chosen for yearly follow-up (1680 boys and 1143 girls) from 1978 to 1981. A multiple logistic function was used to analyse the factors associated with stable high SBP and DBP (with at least three different measurements of BP at or above the 95th percentile).

Blood pressure in childhood and adolescence. Results from an international collaborative study on juvenile hypertension.

A total of 17,130 children of both sexes born in 1964 and living in Hungary, USSR, GDR and Cuba were examined in 1977. The children were grouped in upper (U) and lower (L) blood pressure groups and 3,640 children were re-examined in 1978-1981. The parents' age, smoking habits, marital status, the children's order of birth, number of siblings, and proportion of twins did not differ between U and L.

International collaborative study on juvenile hypertension. 1. Study procedures and screening data.

The study procedures and the results of blood pressure screening from 8 centres are reported. Data are also presented on age, sex, sexual maturity for girls, height, weight, Quetelet's index, smoking, and use of antihypertensive drugs for 92.1% of the 18 609 children born in 1964 in the 8 districts and surveyed in 1977.