Prevalence and clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in a population aged 25-64 in Czechia: A cross-sectional...

Cardiovascular events are still the most common cause of death in the Czech Republic. The increasing prevalence of risk factors such as dyslipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes individually and collectively contribute to cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to determine their prevalence and interrelationships.

The data for this epidemiological study were obtained from the Czech cross-sectional study EHES 2019 (European Health Examination Survey) with stratified random sampling. Firstly, individual risk factors (dyslipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and smoking) in population aged 25-64 years of age were monitored using questionnaires and physical and laboratory measurements; additionally, the cumulative effect of these risk factors in subjects was examined. Finally, cardiovascular risk in the age group of 40-64 years (767 out of 1057 participants) was estimated using the SCORE EU chart (for countries with high cardiovascular risk). Individual parameters were assessed according to standard criteria: dyslipidaemia = total cholesterol ≥5.0 mmol/l, and/or HDL-C < 1.0 mmol/l in men, or <1.2 mmol/l in women, and/or LDL-C ≥ 3.0 mmol/l and/or fasting TAG ≥ 1.7 mmol/l (or ≥2 mmol/l without fasting) and/or medication with lipid-lowering drugs; obesity = BMI > 30 kg/m2; hypertension = systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg, and/or antihypertensive treatment; diabetes mellitus = HbA1c ≥ 48 mmol/mol and/or on treatment. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics.

Of the total number of 1057 study participants (426 men and 631 women) aged 25-64 years, roughly 84% presented with ≥1 cardiovascular disease risk factor. The most common risk factor was dyslipidaemia, which occurred in 71.7% of the subjects. The prevalence of hypertension was 36.3% (men 46.0%, women 26.3%). 29.7% of subjects were obese, diabetes mellitus occurred in 5.7% (men 7.6%, women 3.7%). 17.7% were regular smokers; another 6.6% reported occasional smoking. A combination of risk factors was common, e.g., 77.3% had dyslipidaemia and/or hypertension. There were 16.1% of subjects without monitored cardiovascular risk factors. After stratification of cardiovascular risk prediction according to SCORE chart, 49.7% of individuals fall into low risk, 28.6% into medium risk, and up to 11.3% into high and 10.4% into very high risk.

The most common risk factor is lipid spectrum disorders (71.7%). Combination of risk factors is common, which increases the risk of cardiovascular events in these individuals. In the 40-64 age group, 21.7% of the population is at >5% risk of a fatal cardiovascular event over the next 10 years.