title: [Cardiovascular risk factors in a group of health care workers].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health promotion can be carried out at work places.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess cardiovascular risk factors among workers of a University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study of 888 participants (aged 41 ± 11 years, 76% women), who answered a survey about cardiovascular risk factors. Body mass index, waist, blood pressure and total cholesterol (TC) by capillary method were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self reported prevalence of risk factors were as follows: 19% of participants had high blood pressure, 30% hypercholesterolemia, 6% diabetes, 41% smoked, 88% were sedentary and 26% had a family history of cardiovascular diseases. Five percent of participants did not have any risk factor, 20% had one risk factor, 32% had two and 43% had three or more. The highest frequency of lack of awareness was about blood glucose values. A high blood cholesterol level was found in 27% of those reporting normal cholesterol levels. Likewise, a high body mass index was found in 18% of those reporting a normal weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in this group of participants is similar to that found in the last national health survey in Chile. Noteworthy is the lack of awareness about these risk factors.
authors.affiliation: División de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adasme
authors.forename: M José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jalil
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navarrete
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acevedo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol