[The prevalence of classic cardiovascular risk factors in a working Mediterranean population of 4996 men].
OBJECTIVE
To report a cross-sectional study on the incidence of cardiovascular risk factors among 4,996 male workers (mean age = 47 years) at an automobile factory in the Spanish mediterranean region.


METHODS
The following parameters were obtained by means of standardized forms, medical visits and laboratory exams: obesity indexes, smoking habits, family history of atherosclerosis, physical activity, blood pressure at rest, abnormal electrocardiogram, total cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, lipidemia, and fasting glucose. The results are presented by age groups and labor categories (manual work or managing activities).


RESULTS
Family history was positive in 27.2% of individuals; 43.7% were smokers. A body mass index > or = 30 was presented in 19% of the population, while in 29% blood pressure readings were > or = 140/90 mmHg. Plasma values of triglycerides > or = 200 mg/dl, total cholesterol > or = 220 mg/dl and fasting glucose > or = 110 mg/dl appeared in 16.5%; 35.8% and 8.1% respectively. An abnormal electrocardiogram was presented in 3.1% of the patients. A hundred and twenty individuals (2.4%) presented the triad high blood pressure-smoking-hypercholesterolemia.


CONCLUSIONS
a) There is a high level of overweight and obesity; b) high blood pressure has similar prevalence to the general population of same age, and almost doubly prevalent among managers than manual workers; c) smoking and sedentarism were less prevalent than in general population, smoking being more frequent in manual workers; d) lipid levels are very similar to those of Mediterranean populations of same age.
Grima Serrano
A
A
Unidad de Cardiología Laboral, Servicio Médico de Ford-España, Almussafes, Valencia. agrima@meditex.es
Alegría Ezquerra
E
E
Jover Estellés
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001336:Automobiles; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology