[Arterial hypertension and other coronary risk factors in primary care]

This paper is about the effort to measure the assistance load at the first level of attention given by arterial hypertension and care risk factors. It is been worked as a demonstration project to initiate activities within the setting of a Health Center. The risk factors are explored from the proportions of patients with the problems of obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and alcoholism. The information was obtained from 395 consecutive cases out of 1100 persons who came to the center in a month period. They were 325 women (82.2%) and 70 men (17.2%) with a range of 18 to 85 years, average 40 +/- 17 and a median of 36. Obesity was encountered in 35.7% in men and 48.8% in women. Diabetes was found in 9.1% both sexes. Hypercholesterolemia > 200 mg/dl in 30.4% and > 240 mg/dl in 19.6%. Alcohol abuse was encountered in 14%, 9.2% in women and 37.7% in men. Smoking was present in 22.3% of them, 16.3% in women and 50% in men. High blood pressure > 140/90 mm Hg or hypertension history was present in 21% of the cases. Controlled cases were 6.6%. In the whole group 34% showed at least one risk factor, 57% showed two factors and 66% showed three factors. Therefore, the best estimate of assistance load, on the fight of risk factors associated to hypertension should not consider less than 70% among the regular subjects coming to this health center.