Cardiovascular Risk Factors - Clinical and Epidemiologic profiles in the subjects of the "Atividade Física na Vila" Project

Abstract

The group of atherothrombotic cardiovascular diseases represents one of the leading causes of death around the world. Atherosclerosis is a condition of multifactorial origin, with great genetic and familiar dependence, besides being characterized by an elevated aggravation trend related to lifestyle. Our objective was to describe the prevalence of cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors and Metabolic Syndrome (MS), as well as to estimate the cardiovascular risk in the subjects of the "Atividade Física na Vila" Project. By means of a cross sectional study, 48 patients aged between 23 and 74 (41 women and 7 men) were screened for the presence of sedentary lifestyle, smoking, family antecedents of Diabetes mellitus type 22 (DM) or Coronary artery disease, obesity, abdominal obesity, High Blood Pressure (HBP), DM2, Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG), Lipid abnormalities, and MS. This prevalence was compared to the available general population data. The MS definition was that of the NCEP. The CVR was estimated using the Framingham Score (FS), and compared among the groups with and without MS. 67% of the patients were 50 or older and 46% were 55 or older. There was a high prevalence of CVR factors compared to the population data, specially in the case of sedentary lifestyle (52% x 56%, NS), obesity (men 14% x 9%, NS; women 39% x 13%, P<0.05), HBP (56% x 32%, P<0.05), high total cholesterol (63% x 40%, P<0.05). The prevalence of DM2, IFG, abdominal obesity and MS was 10%, 21%, 60% and 27%, respectively. The mean FS was 5,2 ± 5,5, significantly higher in the patients with MS (9,5 ± 3,1 x 3,5 ± 5,4 p<0.05). These data indicate the high prevalence of CVR factors, and suggest its synergy in elevating the global CVR represented by the FS, as well as strongly support the need for changes in the lifestyle of these patients.