Fatal cardiovascular risk in Poland as determined via Internet

[b]Abstract Introduction.[/b] Web information systems can serve as a diagnostic tool for Internet users and to support the epidemiological work of doctors and health care providers. As part of this work, a system for detecting and calculating cardiovascular risk has been created. [b]Objectives[/b]. 1) Application of web-based risk assessment of cardiovascular death; 2) an attempt to evaluate the distribution of selected risk factors among the population of Polish Internet users; 3) implementation of the epidemiological imaging system of cardiovascular risk factors. [b]Materials and method[/b]. The 'Ryzyko' programme (www.ryzyko.gumed.edu.pl.) available on the Internet. To assess cardiovascular death risk in a ten year period the algorithm of the SCORE project was used. 28,320 solutions of the algorithm have been registered. [b]Results[/b]. Over 28,000 webpage visitors entered the required data and received the outcome. More than 71% of Internauts who entered the data received the recommendation for medical control. The result of the programme is a graphic presentation of the distribution of the calculated risk of death, based on previously gathered information given by the Internauts in particular provinces in Poland. [b]Conclusion[/b]. Automatic monitoring of the incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in Poland provides information for epidemiological studies. The system meets the characteristics of diagnostic programmes that can assist epidemiologic-based and therapeutic decisions.