Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the elderly in Taiwan.
The major objective of the present study was to identify biologic and behavioral risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly population in Taiwan. It is hypothesized that the selected risk factors are significantly associated with the prevalence of CVD. Data came from a nationwide geriatric survey in 1991. Stratified proportional sampling was used to recruit 2,600 subjects. These were evaluated by family physicians working for the Departments of Family Medicine at four medical centers in four major cities in Taiwan. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between risk factors and the prevalence of CVD. The prevalence of CVD was 38.31%. Patients with CVD consistently had higher values for each selected risk factor except high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and glucose concentrations. The findings also indicated that hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C concentration, ex-drinking status, and overweight were significantly associated with the prevalence of CVD among the elderly in Taiwan. The findings not only confirm the risk factors for CVD, but also invite more attention to be given to the importance of biologic and behavioral risk factors in CVD.
Chiu
Herng-Chia
HC
Graduate Institute of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Mau
Lih-Wen
LW
Chang
Hsing-Yi
HY
Lee
Ti-Kai
TK
Liu
Hong-Wen
HW
Chang
Yong-Yuan
YY
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D008055:Lipids