[Association patterns of risk factors or cardiovascular disease, in a high risk Spanish population of 2,264 patients]

INTRODUCTION, BASES AND AIMS: The aim of this study is to present the different association patterns between cardiovascular disease risk factors and target organs lesion due to arterial hypertension (AH), and to establish the possible differences by gender and age, and compare our findings with the existing references in the medical literature.

Nationwide croo-sectional study with 2264 consecutive patients in the Outpatient Clinic of Internal Medicine 18 years of age or older and with high cardiovascular risk taken from the CIFARC (Integral Control of High Risk Cardiovascular Factors) study run by the SEMI (Spanish Internal Medicine Association) cardiovascular Risk Group.

We have obtained statistically significant correlations between: Raised levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol and smoking habit. LDL cholesterol with Family History of early cardiovascular events (hereinafter FH) and ischemic cardiopathy. Low HDL cholesterol with FH. Smoking habit with FH. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with raised levels of proteinuria and creatinine, atheromatosis, retinopathy I-II, ischemic cardiopathy, and diabetic nephropathy. Ischemic cardiopathy with LVH, diabetic nephropathy, peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and age. Proteinuria with raised levels of creatinine, atheromatosis, retinopathy I-II, nephropathy and severe retinopathy. Retinopathy I-II with raised levels of creatinine, atheromatosis, nephropathy, PVD and severe retinopathy. Raised levels of creatinine with reduced levels of HDL cholesterol, proteinuria, atheromatosis, retinopathy I-II, nephropathy and PVD. FH inversely with age: patients with FH consult a doctor an average of three years earlier than patients who do not experience FH. Atheromatosis with LVH, raised levels of proteinuria and creatinine, retinopathy I-II, cerebrovascular disease, nephropathy, PVD and age. PVD with raised levels of creatinine, atheromatosis, retinopathy I-II, and ischemic cardiopathy. Cerebrovascular disease with atheromatosis, age and weight. Severe retinopathy with proteinuria, nephropathy, and retinopathy I-II. Diabetic nephropathy with raised levels of proteinuria and creatinine, atheromatosis, retinopathy I-II, ischemic cardiopathy, and severe retinopathy. Age with raised creatinine, atheromatosis, ischemic cardiopathy, and cerebrovascular disease. With respect to gender, we found differences in most of the studied variables.

There exist different association patterns between the studied variables.