Parameters indicative of the prognosis and efficacy of therapy in heart failure
Boccanelli, A.; Pontillo, D.; Carboni, G.P.; Primiano, O.; Capodiferro, R.; Pompili, A.; Zachara, E.; Prati, P.L.
Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia 18(12): 1059-1064
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0046-5968 PMID: 3253143 Document Number: 310343
Results observed in the first coronary risk factor survey of the WHO-MONICA project, "Area Brianza", are reported here and discussed. Methods and quality controls were performed according to the MONICA operation manual. A stratified random sample of 1600 subjects, 200 males and females for each decade between the ages of 25 and 64 years, was obtained from a target population of 453,762 residents. The smoking habit was taken into account and total cholesterol, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, height and weight with subsequent calculation of body mass index were measured. Forty-nine per cent of males and twenty-four per cent of females are smokers. Mean total cholesterol is 212.45 mg/100 ml in males and 203.3 in females. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure are, respectively, 133/86 mmHg in males and 128/82 in females, with a respective 25% and 19% prevalence in hypertensive subjects. Five per cent of males and ten per cent of females are obese. The distribution of coronary risk factors in the Brianza area is very similar to the national one, as observed by comparable surveys. However, similar studies in the United States show a better control of coronary risk factors which is probably the result of prolonged and systematic primary preventive action. The necessity of prevention in our country is stressed by the level of risk which is rather higher than the levels suggested by recent consensus conferences.