Over a six-year period, the use of antihypertensive drugs increased from 18% to 22% (p=0.012) and lipid-lowering drugs from 11% to 20% (p<0.001), while physical activity decreased.
Cohort (n=389)
Over a six-year period, treatment rates for hypertension and hyperlipidemia increased, but awareness only improved for hyperlipidemia, highlighting the need for targeted prevention programs.
Absolute Event Rate: 22% vs 18%
p-value: p=0.012
Objective: Changes of treatment and awareness of cardiovascular risk factors may provide valuable insights on how to encounter health challenges. Design and method: We used the population-based SWICOS cohort to analyse changes in cardiovascular risk factors over a six-year period. We measured the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the use of drugs. Awareness was derived from a mismatch between self-report of risk factors and the use of drugs to treat them. Results: The cohort comprised 389 participants (166 women and 223 men) with a mean age of 48.8±17.5 years at baseline and 54.9±15.7 years at follow-up. The proportion of participants taking antihypertensive drugs increased from 18% at baseline to 22% at follow-up (p=0.012). The proportion of participants reporting to have hypertension was 16% at baseline and 20% at follow-up (p=0.209). Among participants taking antihypertensive drugs, 9% did not report to have hypertension at baseline and 12% at follow-up (p=0.374). The proportion of participants taking a lipid-lowering drug increased from 11% at baseline to 20% at follow-up (p<0.001). The proportion of participants reporting to have hyperlipidemia rose from 17% to 29% (p<0.001). Among participants reporting to have hyperlipidemia, the use of lipid-lowering drugs increased from 46% to 52% (p<0.001). Among 72 baseline smokers, 13% quit smoking between baseline and follow-up. The prevalence of obesity increased from 14% to 18% (p=0.071), and diabetes was newly diagnosed in 5 additional participants (+1.2%). Sedentary time spent watching television rose substantially from 420 to 533 minutes per week (p=0.038), while weekly light sport activity decreasing from 135 to 120 minutes (p=0.026) and moderate activity from 95 to 60 minutes (p=0.051). Conclusions: This analysis reveals important differences of treatment and awareness between cardiovascular risk factors. Treatment rates for hypertension and hyperlipidemia increased over time, probably reflecting the age-dependent increase of prevalence, but only for hyperlipidemia there was also an increase regarding awareness. Awareness of hypertension did not improve. At the same time, physical activity decreased, and obesity prevalence increased. These results emphasize the need for prevention programs aiming at increasing awareness of hypertension and healthy behaviours.
Radovanović et al. (Fri,) conducted a cohort in Cardiovascular risk factors (n=389). Six-year follow-up vs. Baseline was evaluated on Use of antihypertensive drugs (p=0.012). Over a six-year period, the use of antihypertensive drugs increased from 18% to 22% (p=0.012) and lipid-lowering drugs from 11% to 20% (p<0.001), while physical activity decreased.