[Awareness of the Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Different Types of Hospitalized Medical Patients].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: to study medical awareness of cardiovascular risk factors (FR) in hospitalized patients of the cardiac and internal medicine units (CU and IMU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 patients from CU (n=50) and IMU (n=50) of a Moscow city hospital were included into the survey. The patients were interviewed during the I-II days of hospital stay. A special questionnaire was developed including socio-demographic and clinical indicators, open questions on the knowledge of traditional cardiovascular RFs and their target values. RESULTS: Patients of both units did not differ in gender and age. The survey revealed an extremely low awareness of major cardiovascular RFs of patients in both units practically none of them indicated as RFs for cardiovascular disease elevated cholesterol (0 and 2 %, respectively, p>0.05) and blood pressure (0 % and 2 %, respectively, p>0.05). The majority of patients in both units (74 and 68 %, respectively, p>0.05) reported only 1-2 RFs. Patients in both units often believed that stress is the main cardiovascular RF (66 % and 50 %, respectively, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The survey revealed a low awareness of cardiovascular RFs in different types of medical patients at time of hospital admission.