Environmental factors and cardiovascular risk in young individuals

Normal endothelial function alters physiologically with aging. Intervention of environmental factors precipitates and accelerates endothelial dysfunction progression, correlated with cardiovascular risk.

To study the impact of environmental factors (smoking, nutritional habits, stress, physical activity) on the imbalance of the endothelial commuting threshold.

The questionnaire method was applied in order to identify and quantify the presence of environmental factors; an anthropometrical physical exam was performed; metabolic profile (insulin resistance HOMA-IR, lipid parameters) was assessed. Arterial elasticity was assessed with Complior (Artech Medical).

The studied lot (n=80, 21.16 +/- 2.43 years) comprised young medicine students and showed a high incidence of: smoking (31.25%), unhealthy nutritional habits (60%), stress (60%), sedentary lifestyle (25%). The odds for endothelial function alteration were significant only in subjects who associated stress and smoking (OR=8.18, p=0.0006); in the same group, there was noticed the tendency for metabolic profile alteration, meaning insulin resistance (OR=1.19, p=ns). The association stress-smoking did not significantly influence the unhealthy nutritional habits (p=ns, OR=2.39), lipoprotein anomalies (TC > or = 190 mg/dL: p=ns, OR=0.98; LDL > or = 130 mg/dL: p=ns, OR=3.53), or the sedentary lifestyle (p=ns, OR=0.80).

The main environmental factors which determine endothelial function imbalance in young ages are smoking and occupational stress. It is a positive stress which does not lead to significant metabolic anomalies or lifestyle changes. Though, this kind of stress leads to an unhealthy behavior: smoking. The association stress-smoking is essential in endothelial function alteration in young subjects. Primary cardiovascular prevention must focus drastically on unhealthy behaviors correction to reduce cardiovascular risk in young individuals.