Prevalence of cardiovascular disorders among the elderly in primary care in Estonia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of diagnoses of cardiovascular disorders among the elderly in family practice.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Estonia, population aged 65 years or older (206,915 persons).


METHODS
811 elderly persons selected randomly from the lists of family practitioners.


METHODS
Prevalence of hypertension, hypotension, coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF) and cardiac arrhythmias; differences between the genders and age groups.


RESULTS
The prevalence of cardiovascular disorders was as follows: hypertension 63.2%, hypotension 11.1%, CHD 56.5%, MI 9.8%, HF 41.4% and arrhythmias 37.5%. Women had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension and men of MI. The prevalence of CHD and hypotension was significantly higher in the oldest elderly persons.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the older population in Estonia, cardiovascular disorders that have broader diagnostic criteria and need expensive methods for verifying (CHD, HF) have a high prevalence and are most likely over-diagnosed. The need for strict and simple diagnostic methods for these disorders in primary care practice continues to be serious.
Saks
Kai
K
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. kai.saks@kliinikum.ee
Kolk
Helgi
H
Soots
Annely
A
Takker
Urmas
U
Vask
Monika
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors