Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Lithuanian middle-aged subjects participating in the primary prevention program, analysis of the period 2009-2012

• Published in: Blood pressure Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 41 - 47
• Main Authors: Laucevi ius, Aleksandras, Rink nien, Egidija, Skujait, Agn, Petrulionien, aneta, Puronait, Roma, D enkevi i t, Vilma, Kasiulevi ius, Vytautas, Jatu is, Dalius, Ryliškyt, Ligita, Šlapikas, Rimvydas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 01.02.2015; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Dyslipidemias - blood; Dyslipidemias - epidemiology; Dyslipidemias - prevention & control; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - blood; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - prevention & control; lipids; Lithuania - epidemiology; Male; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome - prevention & control; Middle Aged; obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - prevention & control; Prevalence; primary prevention; Risk Factors; smoking; Triglycerides - blood; Hypertension; primary prevention; lipids; risk factors; obesity; smoking
• ISSN: 0803-7051; 1651-1999; 1651-1999
• DOI: 10.3109/08037051.2014.961744

Abstract Background. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and changes of cardiovascular risk factors in the middle-aged Lithuanian subjects after conducting the primary prevention program. Design and methods. Four cross-sectional investigations of cardiovascular risk factors were conducted in 2009 (n = 9625), 2010 (n = 7716), 2011 (n = 5018) and 2012 (n = 4348). The program recruited men aged 40-54 and women aged 50-64 without overt cardiovascular disease. Results. During the period 2009-2012, the mean number of risk factors significantly increased (from 3.95 to 4.03, p < 0.001), while the numbers of people having metabolic syndrome (from 34.1% to 28.7%; p < 0.001), arterial hypertension (from 60.2% to 54.5%; p < 0.001), the average body mass index (BMI) value (from 29.17 to 28.92 kg/m2; p = 0.001) and abdominal obesity (from 48.4% to 45.3%; p < 0.001) significantly decreased. The percentage of subjects with dyslipidemia, as well as the average values of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, remained unchanged. The percentage of smoking subjects have significantly increased (from 19.3% to 22.7%; p < 0.001). Conclusions. The analysis showed that the prevalence of arterial hypertension, metabolic syndrome and obesity in Lithuania is slowly decreasing while conducting the primary prevention program; however, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking are still hard to manage for both genders.