The risk factors for and prevalence of coronary artery disease in heavy vehicle drivers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequencies of risk factors and the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CAD) in heavy vehicle drivers.


METHODS
This cross-sectional type study was conducted between November 2004 and September 2006 in heavy vehicle male drivers registered with the Sivas Professional Drivers Association, Sivas, Turkey. From 400 individuals, 200 heavy vehicle male drivers, and 200 control subjects, 90% were reached for the sample. A questionnaire including sociodemographic specifications, body mass index (BMI), and risk factors for CHD was performed and some blood and physiologic parameters such as lipid profiles, fasting glucose level, resting ECG, were checked in all individuals; if required exercise ECG and angiography was performed.


RESULTS
The drivers' weight, body fat mass, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein, and BMI means were higher than the control group at a statistically significant level, and their mean high-density lipoprotein level, which is a protective factor for CAD, was lower than the control group at a statistically significant level. In the drivers' group, 9 of the 109 exercise ECGs (8.3%), and in the control group 3 of 61 (4.9%) were evaluated as abnormal. In 5% of the drivers, the exercise test was evaluated as positive and this prevalence was 1.7% in the control group (p=0.081). A total of 3.3% of the participants had a positive exercise ECG.


CONCLUSIONS
Periodic health check-ups for heavy vehicle drivers would allow for the diagnosis of heart disease at an early stage and the initiation of necessary treatment. Health education for this group could also have a part in the decrease and elimination of some risk factors for CAD.
Ozdemir
Levent
L
Department of Public Health, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey. lozdem99@yahoo.com
Turgut
Okan O
OO
Aslan
Seher
S
Tandogan
Izzet
I
Candan
Ferhan
F
Nur
Naim
N
Cetin
Ilhan
I
Demir
Omer F
OF
D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology