Lipid profile of firefighters over time: opportunities for prevention
Heart disease is the primary cause of on-duty deaths in firefighters, but little is known about their lipid profile. We evaluated the lipid profile in relation to other cardiovascular disease risk factors in 321 firefighters at a baseline examination. Prospective comparisons were performed for 285 f...
Saved in:
Published in | Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 44; no. 9; p. 840 |
---|---|
Main Authors | , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
01.09.2002
|
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get more information |
Cover
Loading…
Summary: | Heart disease is the primary cause of on-duty deaths in firefighters, but little is known about their lipid profile. We evaluated the lipid profile in relation to other cardiovascular disease risk factors in 321 firefighters at a baseline examination. Prospective comparisons were performed for 285 firefighters, who were enrolled in a statewide medical surveillance program, and had complete follow-up data for 4 years. The average cholesterol level in firefighters declined from 224 mg/dL at baseline (1996-1997) to 214 mg/dL at the follow-up examination (P < 0.0001). Conversely, both obesity (body mass index > or = 30; 34% versus 40%, P = 0.008) and triglycerides (> or = 200 mg/dL; 27% versus 35%, P = 0.047) increased over time. The proportion of firefighters taking lipid-lowering medications increased from 3% at baseline to 12% at follow-up (P < 0.0001). Cholesterol levels declined significantly, and treatment rates for elevated cholesterol increased over time. Despite repeated examinations, a considerable number of firefighters had persistently elevated cholesterol, and only a minority were receiving adequate treatment. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 1076-2752 |
DOI: | 10.1097/00043764-200209000-00006 |