title: Cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular risk assessment in professional divers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The professional diver's activity implies body cardiovascular stress. Little data on cardiovascular risk factors is available. Some studies report a high prevalence of tobacco consumption. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cardiovascular risk factors of professional divers and calculate the predicted 5-year risk and the predicted 10-year risk of an acute coronary event.
  
  
  METHODS
  In one medical centre, data on dives and cardiovascular risk factors were analysed on Epidata(®) software, by Pearson χ(2) test or by Fisher's exact test, by analysis of variance test or by Kruskal-Wallis test, and by Spearman correlation coefficient. Cardiovascular risk scores at 5 and 10 years were calculated using SCORE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total 200 professional divers were included. Of these, 31% were smokers or had stopped smoking for less than 3 years; 40% had an abnormal body mass index; 50% had raised total cholesterol levels; 11% had an advanced age; 6.5% had high blood pressure; 81% had at least one risk factor; 66% had an alterable risk factor; 25.5% had a 5-year risk greater than that of the general population of the same age; 2.5% had a high cardiovascular risk at 10 years; and 34% were at intermediate risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of divers had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Cardiovascular risk scores were lower than that of the general population. However, some of this population is at high risk. One third of the divers had an intermediate risk, which should lead to the consideration of conducting additional biological examinations to better assess their risk.
authors.affiliation: Universite Europeenne de Bretagne, Universite de Brest, Service de Sante au Travail et Maladies liees à l’environnement, CHRU Morvan, Brest, France. richard.pougnet@live.fr
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pougnet
authors.forename: Laurence Di
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Brice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loddé
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henckes
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dherbecourt
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jegaden
authors.forename: Jean-Dominique
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Dewitte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D015897:Comorbidity; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult