[Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in Mexico: urban conjunctive consolidation with obesity, diabetes and smoking].

Aims: To know the prevalence and the interaction among the principal cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia (HCL), hypertension (HTA), overweight, carbohydrates metabolism disturbances, and smoking, an urban survey was performed in the six Mexican Republic states, where the national population is more concentrated.

Methods: This survey was transversally designed using the WHO type-III model in 120,005 adults from 6 highly populated urban centers (Mexico City, Guadalajara, León, Puebla, Monterrey andTijuana) were included. A blood sample from each person was obtained to quantify fasting glucose and cholesterol. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured using daily validated systems. Data were analyzed by a multicategorical conjunctive consolidation model and by multiple regression models.

Results: HCL global prevalence showed to be 43.3% for a population with an average age of 44.1 years. Female gender showed a slightly but statistically significant greater prevalence of HCL than male gender (44% vs 42.2%). From whole women population 33.2% declared to be in menopause, and 59.7% of them had HCL. In addition, HCL was directly related to body mass index (BMI). Thus, in those subjects with BMI < 25 showed a HCL prevalence 34.1%; while those with BMI was between 25 and 29.9, the HCL prevalence was 45.9%, and in those subjects with BMI > or = 30 Kg/m2, ranked a HCL prevalence of 47.3%. The prevalence of hypertension was 30.2% and 52.5% of them had HCL prevalence. Type-2 diabetes mellitus prevalence (DM-2) was 10.7%, 55.2% of them had HCL. In the group aged between 20 to 34 years old, the obesity was the principal determinant for higher HCL prevalence. The HCL prevalence showed to be quite similar in population with and without smoking. In conclusion, HCL prevalence shows 4 progressively increasing gradients associated with age, HTA, DM-2 and BMI.