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Published on: September 26, 2018

Cardiovascular risk factors among internal medicine residents

Nicole L Mihalopoulos1, Gerald S Berenson

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. nicole.mihalopoulos@hsc.utah.edu

Preventive Cardiology
|April 11, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Many internal medicine residents have cardiovascular disease risk factors like hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles. Increased awareness and personal risk factor modification strategies are needed in residency training.

Area of Science:

  • Internal Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality.
  • Modifiable risk factors significantly contribute to CVD incidence.
  • Internal medicine (IM) residents manage patient CVD risk but may overlook personal risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence of major modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among internal medicine residents.
  • To identify personal health behaviors and conditions impacting resident well-being.

Main Methods:

  • Survey and physical assessment of 101 eligible internal medicine residents.
  • Data collection included medical history, physical examination, and laboratory lipid profiles.
  • Analysis focused on prevalence of hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, smoking, and sedentary behavior.

Main Results:

  • Of 56 participants, 20% had two or more CVD risk factors.
  • Prevalence included systolic hypertension (3/39), elevated BMI (13/39), high total cholesterol (13/38), high LDL (28/38), low HDL (7/38), smoking (3/56), and sedentary lifestyle (15/56).
  • No residents reported CVD symptoms or history.

Conclusions:

  • Internal medicine residents exhibit a significant prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors.
  • Residency training programs should incorporate strategies for personal risk factor awareness and reduction.
  • Addressing resident health is crucial for promoting long-term well-being and effective patient care.

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