title: Cardiovascular risk factors in the urban Mexican population: the FRIMEX study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerotic ischaemic heart disease is the second leading cause of general mortality in Mexico due to the growing prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors in our society. The data of the FRIMEX study (Factores de Riesgo en México, Risk Factors in Mexico), considered together with those of other contemporary epidemiological surveys, will aid in our comprehension of the current state of cardiovascular epidemics in Mexico.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequencies of obesity, hypertension and smoking, and total cholesterol and glucose in capillary blood were estimated in a non-probabilistic sample comprised of 140017 individuals (aged 44+/-13 years; 42% men and 58% women), from six Mexican cities (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Leon and Tijuana).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obesity or overweight status was found in 71.9% of participants. Hypertension was found in 26.5%, and the proportions of awareness, treatment and control for this disease were 49.3, 73 and 36%, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension increased with age; while it was higher in men under 60 years of age, in the more aged individuals it was higher in women. Hypercholesterolaemia was found in 40% of the individuals and cholesterolaemia > or =240 mg/dl was significantly higher in women. Thirty-five and a half percent of men and 18.1% of women were smokers. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was found in 10.4% of participants. There was significant Pearson's correlation between body mass index and blood pressure, between hypertension and glucose levels, and between hypertension and total cholesterol concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that this population has a high cardiovascular risk profile and a high probability of the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Unit, Hospital Regional 1o de Octubre, ISSSTE, Ave. Politécnico 1669, Col. Magdalena de las Salinas, Delegación Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City DF 07300, Mexico. lalitomini@prodigy.net.mx
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lara-Esqueda
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ceballos-Reyes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asbun
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vela
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Martínez-Marroquín
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Cabada-Tamez
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Monroy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tapia-Conyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*