RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of coronary risk factors in 2,463 health-care workers at the General Hospital of Mexico. METHODS: The study participants--1,620 women (65.8%) and 843 men (34.2%)--ranged in age from 16 to 65 years old. Study subjects were classified into five occupational subgroups: maintenance workers, 477 (19.4%); administrators, 697 (28.3%); physicians, 495 (20.1%); nursing staff, 559 (22.7%); and students, 235 (9.5%). For each participant, a clinical history was elicited, anthropometric determinations were done, and samples were obtained for determining blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels. RESULTS: Cholesterol levels above 6.2 mmol/L (>240 mg/dL) were found in 14.9% of the women and 14.8% of the men in the overall study group. Triglyceride levels of more than 2.25 mmol/L (>200 mg/dL) were found in 471 participants (19.1%). The prevalence of obesity was 13.5%, and high blood pressure was detected in 22.2% of study participants. Only 32.2% of subjects engaged in physical exercise one or more times per week; moreover, 32% of those surveyed smoked. The prevalence for diabetes mellitus was 6.25%. The multifactorial coronary risk index was high in 13.2% of men and 43.2% of women older than 30 years of age. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the high prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in personnel of the General Hospital of Mexico. Because many of these risk factors are modifiable, educational efforts and preventive measures should be implemented.
