Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Elderly Individuals treated in the Brazilian Public Health System in Goiania

Background: Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) present a high prevalence and have an impact on the morbimortality of the elderly; however, this question is still unknown by the elderly treated in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS). Objective: To investigate the prevalence of CVRF among the elderly treated by SUS in the city of Goiania, state of Goias, Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study using a multiple-stage sampling method, carried out through a home-based interview with 418 elderly individuals aged > 60 years treated by SUS in the city of Goiania, state of Goias, Brazil. Socioeconomic and demographic data, as well as data on lifestyle, weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure and medications used were collected. The studied CVRF were: arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, total obesity, central obesity, dyslipidemias, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and alcohol consumption. The Chi-square test was used for the analyses of the associations, with significance being set at 5%. Results: The prevalences of the CVRF were: 80.4% of arterial hypertension; 83.3% of central obesity; 59.8% of sedentary lifestyle; 32.2% of total obesity; 23.4% of dyslipidemias; 19.1% of diabetes mellitus; 10.0% of smoking and 5.9% of alcohol consumption. As for the simultaneity, 2.4% of the elderly did not present CVRF. The simultaneity of two or more CVRF occurred in 87.3% of the elderly and was more frequent among women. Conclusion: The CVRF occur simultaneously in more than half of the elderly individuals, and the most prevalent ones were: arterial hypertension, central obesity and sedentary lifestyle. It is necessary to foster the strategies of health promotion and prevention of cardiovascular injury in elderly individuals treated by SUS in the city of Goiania, especially among those with simultaneous CVRF. (Arq Bras Cardiol 2010; 95(5): 621-628)