Risk factors for the occurrence of cardovascular system diseases in students

• Published in: Vojnosanitetski pregled Vol. 66; no. 6; pp. 453 - 458
• Main Authors: Stojanovic, Dusica, Visnjic, Aleksandar, Mitrovic, Vladimir, Stojanovic, Miodrag
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Military Health Department, Ministry of Defance, Serbia 01.01.2009
• Subjects: alcohol drinking; cardiovascular diseases; hypertension; obesity; risk factors; smoking; students, medical
• ISSN: 0042-8450; 2406-0720
• DOI: 10.2298/VSP0906453S

Background/Aim. Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in the majority of developed, as well as in many developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine cardiovascular risk factors in student population and to suggest possible measures for prevention. Methods. The study was carried out during 2007-2008 at the School of Medicine, University of Nis. It included 824 students in their final year (220 males, 604 females). Results. There was no significant difference in prevalence of hypertension among the male (1.81%) and female students (0%). The prevalence of obesity (Body Mass Index - BMI > 30 kg/m2) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the male (7.27%) than in the female population (1.32%). Abdominal obesity was also more frequently encountered (p < 0.01) in the male (9.09%) than in female population (1.32%). Every fourth student smoked cigarettes with no significant difference between the male and female students. Alcohol consumption was a significantly higher problem (p < 0.001) in the male population (18.18%) than in the female one (2.65%). Physical inactivity was more often found (p < 0.001) in the female students (65.56%), than in male ones (36.36%). By the bivariate correlation of cardiovascular risk factors, it was determined that in the male student population systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size, whereas age correlated with sistolic blood pressure, waist size and smoking. In the female students sistolic blood pressure correlated with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size; diastolic blood pressure correlated with BMI and physical inactivity; cigarette smoking correlated with alcohol consumption and age. Conclusion. Cardiovascular risk factors are present in the final-year students of the School of Medicine, University of Nis. It is necessary to insist on decreasing obesity prevalence, cigarette and alcohol consumption, and on increasing physical activity of students in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Uvod/Cilj. Kardiovaskularne bolesti vodeci su uzrok umiranja u vecini razvijenih zemalja i u mnogim zemljama u razvoju. Cilj ovog istrazivanja bio je utvrdjivanje faktora rizika od nastanka oboljenja kardiovaskularnog sistema kod studentske populacije i predlaganje preventivnih mera. Metode. Istrazivanje je sprovedeno u periodu od 2007. do 2008. godine na Medicinskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Nisu. Istrazivanjem su bila obuhvacena 824 studenta (220 muskog i 604 zenskog pola) poslednje godine studija. Rezultati. Nije utvrdjena znacajna razlika u ucestalosti hipertenzije kod studenata (1,81%) i studentkinja (0%). Gojaznost je bila znacajno vise zastupljena (p < 0,001) kod studenata (7,27%), nego kod studentkinja (1,32%). Abdominalna gojaznost bila je, takodje, znacajno (p < 0,01) cesca kod studenata (9,09%), nego kod studentkinja (1,32%). Svaki cetvrti student pusio je cigarete i u tome nije utvrdjena znacajna razlika medju polovima. Alkohol su znacajno cesce (p < 0,001) konzumirali studenti (18,18%) nego studentkinje (2,65%). Utvrdjena je znacajno cesca fizicka neaktivnost (p < 0,001) kod studentkinja (66,90%), nego kod studenata (36,32%). Kod studenata je utvrdjena statisticki znacajna korelacija izmedju sistolnog i dijastolnog krvnog pritiska, indeksa telesne mase (BMI) i obima struka, a godine zivota korelisale su sa sistolnim krvnim pritiskom, obimom struka i pusenjem. Sistolni krvni pritisak kod studentkinja korelisao je sa dijastolnim pritiskom, BMI i obimom struka, dijastolni krvni pritisak sa BMI i fizickom neaktivnoscu, a pusenje sa konzumiranjem alkohola i zivotnom dobi. Zakljucak. Kardiovaskularni faktori rizika kod studenata medicine poslednje godine na niskom Univerzitetu razlikuju se u odnosu na pol. Neophodno je insistirati na smanjenju gojaznosti, pusenja cigareta i konzumiranja alkohola kao i na povecanoj fizickoj aktivnosti kod studenata u cilju prevencije kardiovaskularnih bolesti.