[Prevalence of risk factors to cardiovascular disease in group of Chilean employees].
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of death in Chile and there is a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the population.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of those risk factors in a group of employees.


METHODS
We studied 2,219 individuals, 1,378 males with a mean age of 46.2 +/- 10.4 years and 841 females with a median age of 41.9 +/- 10.3 years.


RESULTS
High blood pressure was observed in 39.7% of men and in 21.8% of women. A serum cholesterol between 200 and 239 mg/dl was observed in 38% of men and 31.3% of women. A cholesterol over this value was seen in 23.7% of men and 18.8% of women. A low proportion of those with high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol, were under treatment. Prevalence of smoking was high in men and women: 43.5 and 48.9.2%, respectively. Eighty four percent of men and 61.3% of women over 54 years were overweight or obese. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 4.5%. Twenty percent of men and 13% of women exercised regularly, at least 3 times a week.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of untreated cardiovascular risk factors in this population.
Lanas
Fernando
F
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Frontera, M Montt 112, Temuco. flanas@ufro.cl
Del Solar
José
J
Maldonado
Mónica
M
Guerrero
Marcia Antonio
MA
Espinoza
Francisco
F
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002677:Chile; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol
Prevalencia de factores de riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular en una población de empleados chilenos.