[Cardiovascular risk factors in a community in Piedmont: changes after 11 years and a comparison with other regional...

In 1986 the Cardiology Department, including an outpatient clinic, was established in the community hospital of Savigliano (Italy). In 1987, as a part of a cardiovascular community prevention program, an epidemiological survey on cardiovascular risk factors was carried out. Similar indicators have been object of the study held in 1998 by ANMCO-Istituto Superiore di Sanità: the Italian Cardiovascular Epidemiological Observatory. So, 11 years later, we have had the chance to compare the changes, in the same community, of three important risk factors: tobacco smoking, arterial blood pressure, and obesity.

The 1987 survey included 280 subjects, aged 20 to 59 years. The 1998 survey has examined 200 subjects, aged 35 to 74 years. In both cases the subjects have been randomly selected from the Electoral Registers; subjects were asked to answer a questionnaire on tobacco smoking; arterial blood pressure measured using a cuff manometer was registered and weight and height have been recorded. In order to have comparable data we have only considered subjects 35 to 59 years old.

One hundred and fifty-seven subjects (84 males and 73 females) were included in the 1987 survey and 123 (60 males and 63 females) in the 1998 survey. In 1987, the percentage of smokers was 40.7% (61.4% of males and 17.8% of females), with an average of 23.4 cigarettes/day among males and 14.7 among females. In 1998, the percentage of smokers has dropped to 18.6%, without any differences between sexes, with an average of 11.9 cigarettes/day among males and 12.7 among females. The mean values of blood pressure were lower in 1998 than in 1987 both in males (129.4/85.7 vs 138.0/88.2 mmHg) and females (119.3/80.2 vs 138.4/86.5 mmHg). Although not statistically significant, the percentage of individuals with systolic blood pressure > or = 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > or = 95 mmHg was lower in 1998 (15.9% among males and 14.2% among females) than in 1987 (25.6% among males and 22.8% among females). The mean values of body mass index were unchanged (from 25.4 to 25.2 kg/m2 in males and from 23.4 to 23.1 kg/m2 in females).

The incidence of tobacco smoking and of hypertension has shown a significant reduction in the population of Savigliano between 1987 and 1998. No significant variation was found in body mass index or in the prevalence of obesity. The distribution of these three risk factors seems to be lesser than that reported in northern Italy.