© 1999 by European Journal of Public Health
CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS |
Risk factors for coronary artery disease in Isfahan, Iran
NIZAL SARRAF-ZADEGAN1,, MARYAM BOSHTAM1 and MORTEZA RAFIEI11Cardiovascular Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan, Iran
Correspondence: Dr. Nizal Sarraf-Zadegan, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Centre, P.O. Box 81465-1148, Isfahan, Iran, tel +98 31 220787, fax +98 31 226103, e-mail: carvasrc{at}dci.iran.com
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in Western industrialized and less developed countries. The major modifiable determinate of each population CAD levels is the risk factor status of that population. Great variations exist in the prevalence of CAD major risk factors at different age groups both In men and women in various population. The main goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and means of risk factors for CAD. This survey was carried out among 2, 200 men and women aged between 19 and 70 years randomly selected from 40 random dusters in the urban area of Isfahan city. People were Interviewed by specially trained medical students by completing a standard questionnaire containing questions regarding the major risk factors, then blood samples were obtained after 14 h fasting state. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), plasma total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and triglycerids were determined by enzymatic methods. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) was calculated according to the Friedewald formula. The main results showed that two or more risk factors (hypertension and/or current smoking and/or hypercholesterolaemla and/or diabetes and/or obesity) were seen in 32% of men and 41% of women. Nearly 33 and 52% of our population had LDL cholesterol of 
4.2 mmol/l and HDL cholesterol of <0.9 mmol/l, respectively. A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more was present in 16%, diabetes in approximately 6%, hypertension in 21%, current smoking in 11% and sedentary life style in 53% of our population. Hypercholesterolaemia, an increased BMI and hypertension were significantly higher among women than men (p<0.05), while hypertriglyceridamla and smoking were higher among men (p<0.05). Similar sex-specific differences were observed between the mean values of these variables. The results observed in this study will be used when the prevalence and incidence data from other ongoing studies are analysed, but in the meantime they provide useful information that can be incorporated into our national programme for primary prevention which will come into action in the near future.
Keywords: adult, coronary disease epidemiology, prevalence, risk factors