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Cardiovascular risk factors among Polish employees of uniformed services
Bartosz G Trzeciak1, Waldemar Kowalczyk2, Szymon Grymek3
1Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland (Intercollegiate University Centre for Cardiology Fahrenheit Universities, Department of Family Medicine).
Insights
Employees of uniformed services exhibit higher cardiovascular risk factors, including elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI, compared to controls. This increased prevalence leads to a greater risk of cardiovascular mortality in this population.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Medicine
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Employees of uniformed services (EoUS) are a population group that may be exposed to unique occupational stressors.
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent a significant health concern globally, with risk factors often influenced by lifestyle and occupation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To screen employees of uniformed services (EoUS) for cardiovascular risk factors.
- To compare the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and calculated CVD risk between EoUS and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 1138 EoUS and 263 controls from a cardiology clinic in Gdańsk, Poland.
- Data collection included medical history, blood samples, physical examination, and calculation of 10-year cardiovascular risk using the SCORE algorithm.
Main Results:
- EoUS showed significantly higher mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and BMI compared to controls.
- Smoking prevalence was higher in EoUS (35.5%) than controls (16.7%), particularly in younger EoUS (20-39 years).
- The occurrence of risk factors (hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking) was significantly higher in EoUS, leading to a greater calculated 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular events in males.
Conclusions:
- Employees of uniformed services exhibit a higher prevalence of identified cardiovascular risk factors compared to the general population.
- The increased burden of cardiovascular risk factors in EoUS contributes to a heightened risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
Objectives:
Employees of uniformed services (EoUS) were screened for cardiovascular risk factors.
Material And Methods:
A total of 1138 EoUS (age M±SD 49.9±6.0 years) and 263 controls (age M±SD 54.4±9.7 years) under the care of the cardiology clinic in Gdańsk, Poland, were included in the study. Medical history and blood samples were collected, and a physical examination was performed. Ten-year cardiovascular risk of death was calculated using the systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE) risk algorithm for high-risk countries.
Results:
Significantly higher values of mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, mean total cholesterol level and mean BMI were recorded among the EoUS compared to controls (M±SD 141.7±11.6 mm Hg vs. 135.5±11.0 mm Hg, p < 0.001; 90.1±5.9 mm Hg vs. 84.5±6.8 mm Hg, p < 0.001; 6.01±0.76 mmol vs. 5.44±0.87 mmol, p < 0.001; 29.3±4.7 vs. 29.0±4.1, p < 0.001, respectively). Smoking cigarettes was most frequently reported by the youngest group (20-39 years old) - 47.7% and it was significantly higher in the entire EoUS group compared to control group (35.5% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.001). The occurrence of observed risk factors (blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg, total cholesterol concentration >5 mmol, smoking,) was significantly higher among EoUS compared to controls (92.1% vs. 57.8%, p < 0.001; 89.0% vs. 66.9%, p < 0.001; 35.5% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.001, respectively). In the male group, the mean calculated ten-year risk of fatal cardiovascular events, the percentage of high calculated risk, and very high risk were higher in the EoUS group compared to controls (M±SD 4.44±3.49 vs. 4.23±3.86, p = 0.001; 23.7% vs. 20.2%, p = 0.007; 7.4% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.03, respectively).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of all identified risk factors was found to be higher among employees of uniformed services when compared to the control group. The presence of these risk factors within the population of uniformed service employees results in a greater risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(5):656-71.
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