Trends in cardiovascular risk factor prevalence among Lithuanian middle-aged adults between 2009 and 2018

• Published in: Atherosclerosis Vol. 299; pp. 9 - 14
• Main Authors: Laucevičius, Aleksandras, Rinkūnienė, Egidija, Petrulionienė, Žaneta, Ryliškytė, Ligita, Jucevičienė, Agnė, Puronaitė, Roma, Badarienė, Jolita, Navickas, Rokas, Mikolaitytė, Jurgita, Gargalskaitė, Urtė, Dženkevičiūtė, Vilma, Kutkienė, Sandra, Gimžauskaitė, Silvija, Mainelis, Antanas, Šlapikas, Rimvydas, Gurevičius, Romas, Jatužis, Dalius, Kasiulevičius, Vytautas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Cardiovascular disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Dyslipidemias - diagnosis; Dyslipidemias - epidemiology; Female; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Humans; Hypertension - diagnosis; Hypertension - epidemiology; Lithuania - epidemiology; Male; Metabolic Syndrome - diagnosis; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Obesity - diagnosis; Obesity - epidemiology; Prevalence; Primary prevention; Risk Assessment; Risk factors; Sex Factors; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - epidemiology; Time Factors; Trends; Lithuania; Cardiovascular disease; Trends; Primary prevention; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.02.025

The aim of the study was to estimate trends and differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence among middle-aged men and women based on the data from the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk (LitHiR) primary prevention program between 2009 and 2018. A community-based cross-sectional study included men aged 40–54 years and women aged 50–64 years without overt CVD. Nationally representative data comprised 110,370 Lithuanian adults (42.4% men and 57.6% women) examined in the period 2009–2018. Prevalences of major CVD risk factors, such as dyslipidaemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome and smoking, were assessed. The study showed a significant drop in the prevalence of dyslipidaemia and TC levels among men (p = 0.030 and p < 0.001) and no significant change among women (p = 0.594 and p = 0.799). The prevalence of AH significantly decreased in both gender groups (p < 0.001 in women and p < 0.001 in men). Obesity rates declined among women while it remained constant among men (p < 0.001 and p = 0.100 respectively). There was a significant decline among women and a significant increase among men in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016 respectively). The prevalence of diabetes increased until 2013, after which it started decreasing in the whole group (p = 0.005). The study showed a significant increase in the percentage of smoking women (p < 0.001), although the number of smoking men remained much higher (about 40%) (p < 0.001). In our observational study, we have documented a high prevalence of all CVD risk factors in 2009 with a slight decrease during the period in most prevalence rates, except in dyslipidaemia and smoking levels. [Display omitted] •The LitHiR primary prevention program’s main purpose is to evaluate CVD risk factors among middle-aged men and women.•Dyslipidaemia and diabetes were diagnosed in around 90% and 10% of all participants respectively.•The prevalence of arterial hypertension significantly decreased in both gender groups during 2009-2018.•The percentage of smoking women showed more than 1.5-fold increase during 2009-2018.