[Vascular risk factors in healthy population in the repeated screening examinations]

An epidemiological study on vascular risk factors have been repeated two times in a two years interval in a cohort of 4511 healthy subjects. The participants in this study were volunteer members of Dimenzio Health Insurance.

Data on life style, family history of vascular diseases have been documented. Detailed physical examination including neurological examination and structured questionnaire on stress and related problems, blood glucose, and cholesterol level, carotid Doppler ultrasound and ECG examinations made complete this screening program.

Blood pressure, total cholesterol, glucose level increased steadily and significantly by age. Significant differences between male and female groups have been noted in favor of females in all age groups. In subjects having positive family history of vascular diseases, all the blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose level were significantly higher as in the sex and age matched subjects with negative family history. Comparing the dataset of two consecutive screening periods, the average value of blood pressure of different age groups did not increase, even decreased in the older age groups. Smoking habit is also decreased. Interestingly enough the cholesterol level increased significantly in all age groups by the time of second examination.

Stressful life has been reported mostly by females. The frequency of stress increased significantly by the two years lapsed between the two data collections. Parallel with the stress frequency consumption of antidepressants and anxiolytics increased significantly. The average blood pressure of subjects with stressful life was significantly higher compared to subjects without stress. This cohort study is the first in this country in which we used repeatedly a screening program for identifying high risk subjects, or high risk age groups in a healthy population. Data subtracted from this study could support a prevention strategy.