title: High prevalence of the cardiovascular risk factors in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. An emerging health care priority.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cardiovascular mortality is a leading cause of death. Yet, there is a dearth of data on its risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional community based study on established cardiovascular risk factors carried out between February 2004 - February 2005 in Al-Ain City, UAE. Subjects were interviewed, blood pressure, weight, height, fasting blood sugar, and lipid profile measured. Framingham risk scores were used for risk assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight hundred seventeen subjects (403 males and 414 females) completed the survey, of these 28.4% had a Framingham risk assessment score of more than 20%, 23.3% had diabetes mellitus, 20.8% hypertension, 37.3% obesity, 22.7% metabolic syndrome, and 19.6% of male smoked. Coronary heart disease was reported in 2.4%. Lipid profiles were abnormal in 64% of the males, and in 53.9% of the females, mostly due to low high-density lipoproteins or high triglycerides levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall cardiovascular risk assessment of the population screened calls for targeted interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care, Eastern Region, United Arab Emirates. latifa.mohammad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Latifa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Baynouna
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Revel
authors.forename: Nico J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Nagelkerke
authors.forename: Tariq M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Jaber
authors.forename: Aziz O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Nader M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Mohammad K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Naziruldeen
authors.forename: Mamdouh F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Al-Sayed
authors.forename: Fuad A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Nour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology