Trends in blood lipid levels, blood pressure, alcohol and smoking habits from 1985 to 2002: results from INTERGENE and GOT-MONICA.
BACKGROUND
Favourable trends in cardiovascular disease have been observed in Sweden. The aim of this study was to study secular trends in a variety of cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
Total-, low-density (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) serum cholesterol; serum triglycerides; systolic and diastolic blood pressure; self-reported smoking and alcohol consumption were studied in repeated cross-sectional surveys. Data from four population-based samples in Goteborg, Sweden were used-WHO MONICA project 1985, 1990 and 1995, and INTERGENE 2002. A total of 2931 females and 2691 males aged 25-64 consisting of 1021-1624 randomly selected subjects at each survey period participated.


RESULTS
Serum cholesterol levels showed downward trends but the decline in both total- and LDL-cholesterol seems to be levelling off from 1995 and onwards. No significant changes were observed in serum triglyceride, HDL-serum cholesterol or blood pressure levels. The majority of the participants had higher total- and LDL-serum cholesterol levels than currently recommended. Antihypertensive medical treatment increased in women and the oldest men. The prevalence of smoking decreased from 39 to 25% in women and 35 to 20% in men respectively from 1985-2002. In contrast, the prevalence of subjects consuming strong beer and wine, respectively, at least once a week almost doubled from 1990-2002.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiovascular risk factor patterns change continuously and need to be monitored. The favourable trends in LDL-serum cholesterol and smoking in the Goteborg surveys were paralleled by less favourable trends in being overweight and alcohol consumption.
Berg
Christina M
CM
The Cardiovascular Institute, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg bInstitute of Community Medicine (Primary Health Care), The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. christina.berg@ped.gu.se
Lissner
Lauren
L
Aires
Nibia
N
Lappas
Georgios
G
Torén
Kjell
K
Wilhelmsen
Lars
L
Rosengren
Annika
A
Thelle
Dag S
DS
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology