title: The prevalence of common cardiovascular diseases among 17-year-old Israeli conscripts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are only few reports on the prevalence of common cardiovascular disorders among adolescents. The previous studies focused on specific diseases, and screened relatively small samples.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of different common cardiovascular disorders among 17-year-old Israeli conscripts. A comparison between the morbidity patterns of female and male adolescents was also performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 17-years-old Israeli nationals are obliged by law to appear at the Israel Defense Forces Recruiting Office for medical examination except for orthodox religious and Arabic adolescents. Cardiology specialists evaluated and classified nominees with suspected cardiovascular disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most prevalent diagnoses were valvular heart disease (590/ 100,000), syncope (440/100,000), and mitral valve prolapse (340/100,000). The most prominent differences between female and male adolescents were noted in the prevalence of: congenital valvular heart disease, syncope, history of hypertension, supraventricular tachycardia with pre-excitation, myocarditis and pericarditis, and bradycardia and conduction disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most prevalent cardiac disorders among 17-year-old Israelis were congenital valvular heart disease, syncope and mitral valve prolapse. Some significant differences were noted between the morbidity patterns among male and female adolescents. The higher prevalence of congenital valvular heart disease compared to non-valvular heart disease is surprising. The prevalence of hypertension among Israeli adolescents in the last 15 years remained stable.
authors.affiliation: Surgeon General Headquarters, Israeli Air Force and Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, and Department of Health System Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheba, Israel.
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Dayan
authors.forename: Keren
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elishkevits
authors.forename: Liav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Avishay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Nisim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohana
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onn
authors.forename: Yehezkel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Yosefa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Dayan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence