[Cardiovascular risk factors in former and new Germany. City comparison of Leipzig/Nürnberg on the incidence of increased cholesterol values and other cardiovascular risk factors].
OBJECTIVE
Cardiovascular risk factors depend decisively on living conditions and nutrition. The aim of the present study was to establish whether the different living conditions in the eastern and western parts of Germany were associated with differences in the frequency and severity of these risk factors.


METHODS
In Leipzig, 15,291 people (9,600 women and 5,691 men), in Nuremberg 8,387 (4,559 women and 3,828 men) were examined either after responding to a public appeal, or in the factory, etc.


RESULTS
Clearly elevated cholesterol levels (> 250 mg/dl) were found in 33.8% of the men, and 35.9% of the women in Leipzig, and in 39.1% of the men and 50.7% of the women in Nuremberg. This larger incidence of treatment-requiring hypercholesterolemia in Nuremberg was distributed throughout all age groups up to the age of 60. Hypertension was significantly more common among the 30 to 80-year-old women, and the 20 to 40-year-old and 50 to 80-year-old men in Leipzig. the frequency of cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus and overweight did not differ significantly between the two cities. In cases with known dyslipoproteinemia, drug treatment was rarely applied, and the therapeutic aim of a cholesterol level < 200 mg/dl, was achieved in only 2-6% of those treated. The most significant difference with respect to cardiovascular risk factors was serum cholesterol. It is possible that a higher ingestion of monounsaturated fatty acids and more physical activity may be responsible for the lower cholesterol levels in Leipzig.
Richter
W O
WO
Medizinische Klinik II, Universität München.
Richter
V
V
Rassoul
F
F
Sönnichsen
A C
AC
Rotzsch
W
W
Schwandt
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012922:Social Change; D014505:Urban Population
D002784:Cholesterol
Kardiovaskuläre Risikofaktoren in den alten und neuen Bundesländern. Städtevergleich Leipzig/Nürnberg zur Häufigkeit erhöhter Cholesterinwerte und anderer kardiovaskulärer Risikofaktoren.