[Coronary heart disease in the elderly; the ERGO study (Erasmus Rotterdam Health and the Elderly)].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among elderly people and to investigate the use of cardiovascular medication in this group.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
A quarter in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.


METHODS
As a part of the 'Rotterdam elderly study', the cardiovascular anamnesis of 7.983 responding persons > or = 55 years (3105 men and 4878 women) was obtained by means of a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Twelve and 4% of men and women, respectively, had at some time had a myocardial infarction, and 5 and 4% a stroke. Almost 7% of both sexes had anamnestic symptoms of angina pectoris. Coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were done in 4% and 1% of men and 1% and 0.5% of women, respectively. Of all participants 43% used at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes. Half of these used two or more, and a quarter used three or more drugs. Among women, diuretics were the most commonly used drug for cardiovascular purposes (21%), whereas among men beta-blocking agents were most common (15%).


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiovascular diseases are common among elderly men and women. Many of them take at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents
Coronaire hartziekten bij ouderen; het ERGO-onderzoek.