Clinical interventions on the major vascular risk factors. (RIVANA study)

Abstract

Background. To describe the diagnostic frequency of classical vascular risk factors, dietary and therapeutic interventions and their control. Methods. Within the project Vascular Risk in Navarre (RIVANA), a transversal study was made of a random sample of 4,354 people between the ages of 35 and 84; antecedents were gathered by interview and clinical and analytical exploration was carried out. The subjects were classified for each risk factor into: diagnosed by information –when health personnel had informed them that they presented a risk factor–; by intervention –when they take medication for it–; and by detection in asymptomatic people. The variables of intervention were identified by dichotomic trees expressed by relative frequencies. Results. Forty-five point three percent of the subjects are hypertense: 27% previously diagnosed and 18.3% at the time of the exploration. Thirty-nine percent are hypercholesterolemic: 33.4% previously diagnosed and 5.6% at the time of the exploration. Twenty-one point two percent presented hyperglycemia: 9.7% previously diagnosed and 11.6% at the time of the exploration. Sixty-five point six percent were diagnosed as overweight or obese: 25.9% previously and 39.6% at the time of the exploration. They received dietary counselling and pharmacological treatment respectively: 79.8% and 70.3% of the hypertense; 75.4% and 35% of the hypercholesterolemic; 83.1% and 47.4% of those who presented hyperglycemia and 68.5% and 4% of those who showed overweight or obesity. Conclusions. The frequency of cardiovascular risk factors is high. There is a margin for significant improvement in the detection, intervention and control of the risk factors.