[Cardiovascular disease epidemiology and risk factors in primary care]. / Epidemiología de las enfermedades cardiovasculares y factores de riesgo en atención primaria.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in primary care. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out at an urban health center in Barcelona, Spain. In total, 2248 patients > or =15 years old were selected randomly from medical records. The study investigated cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease, and cardiovascular risk factors such as age, sex, smoking, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 49.1 (18.9) years and 53.5% were male. Cardiovascular risk factor prevalences were: smoking, 35.2%; high blood pressure, 33.7%; hypercholesterolemia, 21.9%; hypertriglyceridemia,12.7%; and diabetes mellitus, 15.8%. Overall, 57.9% of patients had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor. Significantly more males presented with each risk factor (P<.05), apart from high blood pressure. The prevalence of all risk factors, except smoking, increased with age until 74 years and then stabilized, except high blood pressure, which continued to increase. Around 10% had cardiovascular disease, with myocardial ischemia in 5.5%, cerebrovascular disease in 3.7%, and peripheral arterial disease in 2.4%. All except cerebrovascular disease were significantly more common in males (P<.05). The prevalence of cardiovascular disease was low in individuals <55 years old, particularly women, and increased with age for all forms of disease. Some 68.3% were > or =65 years old. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was confirmed. Cardiovascular disease was more common in males and the elderly.

Epidemiología de las enfermedades cardiovasculares y factores de riesgo en atención primaria / Cardiovascular disease epidemiology and risk factors in primary care

Introdución y objetivos. Estudiar la prevalencia de las enfermedades cardiovasculares y sus factores de riesgo en atención primaria. Pacientes y método. Estudio descriptivo transversal realizado en un centro de salud urbano de Barcelona (España).Se incluyó a 2.248 pacientes ≥ 15 años, seleccionados mediante muestreo aleatorio simple del archivo de historias clínicas. Se estudiaron las siguientes enfermedades cardiovasculares: cardiopatía isquémica, enfermedad cerebrovascular y arteriopatía periférica de extremidades inferiores, y los siguientes factores de riesgo cardiovascular: edad, sexo, tabaquismo, hipertensión arterial, hipercolesterolemia, hipertrigliceridemia y diabetes mellitus. Resultados. La edad media fue de 49,1 ± 18,9 años y un 53,5% era mujer. La prevalencia de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular fue: tabaquismo, 35,2%; hipertensión arterial, 33,7%; hipercolesterolemia, 21,9%; hipertrigliceridemia,12,7%, y diabetes melitus, 15,8%. El 57,9%presentó al menos 1 factor de riesgo. Los varones presentaron una proporción superior (p < 0,05) excepto en la hipertensión arterial. Su prevalencia aumentó con la edad(excepto en el tabaquismo) hasta los 74 años, en que se estabilizó, excepto en la hipertensión, que siguió aumentando. Tenían alguna enfermedad cardiovascular el10,0% de los pacientes: cardiopatía isquémica el 5,5%;enfermedad cerebrovascular el 3,7% y arteriopatía periférica de extremidades inferiores el 2,4%. Fueron más frecuentes en varones (p < 0,05), excepto la enfermedad cerebrovascular. Su prevalencia fue baja en < 55 años(especialmente en mujeres) y aumentó con la edad en todas las enfermedades cardiovasculares, correspondiendo el 68,3% a pacientes de ≥ 65 años. Conclusiones. Se confirma la elevada prevalencia delos factores de riesgo cardiovascular en nuestro medio. Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son especialmente frecuentes en varones y ancianos

Introduction and objectives. To study the prevalence of and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in primary care. Patients and method. A cross-sectional study was carried out at an urban health center in Barcelona, Spain. In total, 2248 patients ≥15 years old were selected randomly from medical records. The study investigated cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease, and cardiovascular risk factors such as age, sex, smoking, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes mellitus. Results. The patients’ mean age was 49.1 (18.9) years and 53.5% were male. Cardiovascular risk factor prevalences were: smoking, 35.2%; high blood pressure, 33.7%;hypercholesterolemia, 21.9%; hypertriglyceridemia,12.7%;and diabetes mellitus, 15.8%. Overall, 57.9% of patients had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor. Significantly more males presented with each risk factor (P<.05), apart from high blood pressure. The prevalence of all risk factors, except smoking, increased with age until 74 years and then stabilized, except high blood pressure, which continued to increase. Around 10% had cardiovascular disease, with myocardial ischemia in 5.5%, cerebrovascular disease in3.7%, and peripheral arterial disease in 2.4%. All except cerebrovascular disease were significantly more common in males (P<.05). The prevalence of cardiovascular disease was low in individuals <55 years old, particularly women, and increased with age for all forms of disease. Some 68.3% were ≥65 years old. Conclusions. The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was confirmed. Cardiovascular disease was more common in males and the elderly