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).

Assessment of the general health profile trends in the male population of Tallinn, Estonia.

Objective: To construct a complex indicator, the Health Index, for the determination of the general health profile of the population and to assess the time trends of the latter in the male population of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

Design: Three epidemiological studies of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factor involving independent random samples of the male population of Tallinn aged 30-59 y were carried out in 1981/82 (survey I), in 1984/85 (survey II) and in 1992/94 (survey III), the total number of participants was 5019. The screening procedure included standard epidemiological methods.

Ischaemic heart disease in men of productive age: comparison of epidemiological and morphological data.

Data obtained from a cross-sectional population study of men aged 20-54 years and results of a morphological epidemiological examination of the aorta and coronary arteries of 507 men aged 20-59 years, deceased from various causes in the city of Tallinn, were analysed to find whether there is a relationship between the prevalence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), its risk factors and morphological features of atherosclerosis. An association has been found between the development of clinical IHD manifestations with age, extent of morphological signs of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta and coronary arteries, and occurrence of hypercholesterolaemia. Estonian men showed more marked changes in lipid indicators and greater extent of morphological signs of atherosclerosis than men of other nationalities; this corresponds to the more atherogenic character of the former's diet.

Characteristics of the blood serum lipoprotein pattern in female Tallinn residents aged 35-54 years.

In a single study of the female population aged 35-54 years in the city of Tallinn no significant differences in the blood lipoprotein pattern for the nationality (Estonian--Russian) and the phase of menstrual cycle in women with normal ovarian function were found. On the other hand, in comparison with those with a normal menstrual cycle postmenopausal women showed significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerols and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. For studies of risk factor prevalence of non-communicable diseases among female population, it is recommended, to identify women with menstrual cycle disturbance since their higher percentages could bias the results.

Characteristics of the plasma lipid profile in the male population of Tallinn aged 20-54 years.

The blood plasma lipoprotein profile was studied in a representative random sample of the male population in Tallinn, comprising 2292 men aged 20-54 years. 42.8% of the sample were of Estonian and 43.