[Survey of cardiovascular risk assessment and the behaviour of a sporting population].
In order to better understand the risk factors and behaviour of a general sports population, a questionnaire was handed to 603 consecutive sportsmen of various disciplines during a specific sports medicine consultation and a half-marathon. Among the discovered risk factors, smoking was the most common (19.3% for the entire study population), predominantly in the youngest group (26%). A resting ECG had been performed very frequently within the previous year in those over 40 years (86.5%), but less often in the younger sportsmen (44.8%). An exercise test had also very often been performed in those aged over 40 years (69.2 vs 10.6%). Behaviour associated with cardiovascular risk was common. Undertaking physical activity while febrile (58%) and smoking just before or after exertion (13.1%) were widespread behaviours. This population appeared casual in its approach to possibly suspicious cardiac symptoms of exercise, particularly the females and paradoxically the subjects doing the most sport. Lastly, only a minority of sportsmen knew the telephone number for the emergency medical service (45%) or claimed to be competent at first aid (32%). This survey underlines a practice relatively in accordance with the recommendations for detecting cardiovascular pathology, but shows a failure of preventive education.
Chevalier
L
L
Clinique du Sport, Mérignac. lchev@club-internet.fr
Douard
H
H
Laporte
T
T
Hajjar
M
M
Baudot
C
C
Genson
F
F
Labanere
C
C
Merle
F
F
Gencel
L
L
Vincent
M P
MP
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000503:physiopathology; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires