Risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of premature mortality of women and men in Slovak republic.

The Aim: The occurrence and mean values of major CVD risk factors were assessed in a population of 2480 Bratislava citizens (2/3 of them were women) interested in health promotion and primary CVD prevention activities in Community Health Promotion Center.

Methods: Major CVD risk factors were assessed, using standard methods, and criteria, in accordance with the guidelines of European and national medical societies.

Main Results: The greatest proportion of visitors, both women and men, were in their forties. 73% of all women and 70% of all men were aged 30-59 yrs. The most frequent risk factors, were overweight and obesity, present in 64% of men and 59% of women. Of them, central type obesity was found in 30% of men, 15% of women. In 52% of men and 32% of women elevated casual blood pressure was assessed at the first visit. Of the total, in 27% of men and 21% of women, the BP elevation was within the range of borderline hypertension. In 25% of men and 11% women the BP values were within the mild to severe hypertension range. Elevated blood cholesterol was assessed in 53% of men and 54% of women, lowered HDL cholesterol in 55% of men and 43% of women. Elevated TC/HDL-C ratio was found in 60% of men and in 35% of women. Triglyceride level elevation was assessed in 24% of men and in 17% of women, with TGL/HDL-C ratio raised in 66% of these men and in 40% of these women.

Conclusions: In assessment of CVD risk factors clustering, our results are different from the results of CINDI SR screening from 1992. In our study, only 13% persons were free of any CVD risk factors. One risk factor was found in 21.1%, two of them in 29.9%, three in 29.8% and four in 6.2% of the population screened. Evaluation of the effect of complex individual intervention in our center will be the subject of our next study. (Fig. 5, Tab. 5, Ref. 11.)