Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in physicians

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a significant global health burden.
• Physicians, as healthcare providers, are crucial in public health initiatives but may also be susceptible to lifestyle-related diseases.
• Understanding CVD risk factors within the medical community is essential for targeted prevention and health promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among physicians at a teaching hospital.
• To compare these risk factors with those in the general Czech population.
• To identify areas for intervention and prevention within the medical profession.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 203 male and 167 female physicians.
• Data collection through questionnaires, physical measurements (height, weight, blood pressure), and biochemical analyses (serum cholesterol, glucose).
• Statistical analysis to determine the prevalence of smoking, hypertension, overweight, and hypercholesterolemia.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates: 19.2% males and 13.8% females smoked; 10% males and 6.6% females had hypertension; 52.2% males and 17.4% females were overweight; 37% males and 43.1% females had hypercholesterolemia.
• Czech physicians exhibited more favorable CVD risk factor values than the general Czech population.
• However, smoking rates among Czech physicians were higher compared to international benchmarks, indicating an unsatisfactory risk factor level.

Conclusions:

• While Czech physicians show better CVD risk factor profiles than the general population, specific factors like smoking require attention.
• The study highlights an unsatisfactory level of cardiovascular disease risk factors among physicians, underscoring the need for intensive prevention programs.
• Follow-up data indicated no positive trends and low physician engagement in risk factor reduction, emphasizing the challenge in implementing effective interventions.