[Increased risk of heart and vascular diseases in fisherman from Urk]

In order to assess physicians' preconceived ideas about unhealthy lifestyle of North Sea fishermen from Urk, the prevalence of five important risk factors for cardiovascular disease: hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking, obesity and diabetes mellitus was determined in a cross-sectional study in this population. In addition, the use of the Primetest device, a newly developed desk top analyser, was evaluated. Out of 646 people invited at the community centre at Urk, Flevoland, 384 (59%) fishermen were investigated using Primetest, which contains an electronic sphygmomanometer and colometrically determines total cholesterol and glucose levels. 87 laboratory determinations (with HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride determinations) were used when Primetest cholesterol determination proved insufficiently reliable. Male cardiovascular mortality in Urk was also compared with mortality in the Netherlands. Hypertension prevalence (last of six readings) corresponded with that of the nearby town of Lelystad, 6% and 8% respectively. The average total:HDL-cholesterol ratio was not higher than recent values from elsewhere in the Netherlands. Fifty per cent of the fishermen had a high risk (ratio greater than 4.5). Of these, 18% had hypertriglyceridaemia (greater than or equal to 2.3 mmol/l). Smoking rates were very high (58%) and 60% had moderate to severe obesity (Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 26 kg/m2). 2% had diabetes mellitus, corresponding with the prevalence in the Netherlands. Absolute and proportional male cardiovascular mortality in Urk did not differ from the Netherlands.

two risk factors had a high prevalence among Urk fishermen. Blood pressure measurements and glucose determination with Primetest are simple and reliable. For technical reasons reliable cholesterol determination was not yet possible.