Metabolic Syndrome: a study of demographic characteristics, life style, and control of the disease in hypertensive patients at a Public Health Unit of a city in the rural zone in the State of São Paulo

Abstract

Recognized as a paradigm of our modern sedentary and competitive society for constituting an important group of risk factors (RF) for cardiovascular diseases, the Metabolic Syndrome is represented by the combination of at least three of the following components: elevated blood glucose level, high blood pressure, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol. With the aim to identify factors associated with the evolution of hypertension to Metabolic Syndrome, demographic, lifestyle and disease control variables were investigated in a population of 95 hypertensive patients registered for treatment in a Primary Care Unit in a city in the rural zone of the state of Sao Paulo. The group was stratified into two segments as there are: i) one composed of individuals presenting RF for coronary disease, either in an isolated form or associated with other factors and ii) one composed of patients in which the joint occurrence of risk factors already formed the Metabolic Syndrome. The values of the variables related to pertinent aspects of lifestyle and disease control for both groups were compared according to Goodman’s test. In summary, the two groups distinguished themselves only by the variables related to physical activity, be it through mentioning physical activity answering the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Ipaq) be it through prevalence of obesity. Conclusively, the results obtained in this study aggregate evidence in the direction of concepts and practices of public policies in health.