Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adults registered in a primary health unit of Porto

Purpose The study aims to describe the adult’s overall cardiovascular disease risk factors prevalence, including arterial stiffness and physical inactivity. Methods The cross-sectional study involved 197 adults (males: 42%; mean age: 47 ± 13 years) from a Portuguese health centre. Traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured during clinical assessment. Arterial stiffness was evaluated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (≥ 10 m/s). Physical inactivity (< 30 min/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity) was objectively assessed with accelerometry. The statistical procedures included descriptive analysis (means, medians, and frequencies) and between-gender comparisons (chi-square test and t-test) for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Results Cardiovascular disease risk factors prevalence was as follows: dyslipidaemia: 71%, physical inactivity: 51%, hypertension: 43%, metabolic syndrome: 36%, arterial stiffness: 31%, smoking: 29%, and obesity: 20%. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors increases with age and is higher in males than in females. The prevalence of hypertension and metabolic syndrome was higher in participants with a lower educational level. The majority of hypertensive patients were more physically inactive (56.5%) than active (43.5%; p = 0.044). Conclusions The overall prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors was high, with 1/3 having augmented arterial stiffening and half being physically inactive.