PREVALENCE OF CORONARY HEART-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS IN NORTHERN-ITALIAN MALE AND FEMALE EMPLOYEES

A cross-sectional study of 2650 male and 751 female employees of the IBM company in the Milan area was conducted in 1987 to compare, risk for profiles for coronary heart disease between men and women and to analyse the awareness of risk status of people at risk. After age adjustment, the rate of cigarette smoking was higher in women (35%) than in men (25%). Other coronary heart disease risk factors were more common in men than in women. After controlling for age, 38% of the men and 19% of the women met the study criteria for hypertension, and 22% of the men and 17% of the women had high blood cholesterol. However, an analysis by age groups showed that, although in the younger age groups women had lo,ver levels of cardiovascular risk factors, except smoking, compared to men, in the age brackets 50 or older women had similar or more adverse risk factor profiles than men. Of the people with hypertension, only 22% of the men and 19% of the women were aware of their hyper tension, and only 2% of the men and 4% of the women had successful control by dugs. Even when subjects with mild hypertension were excluded high proportions of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension were found in both sexes. Of the individuals with serum cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg.dl(-1), less than half of tire men and less than 20% of the women were aware of their high blood cholestelol levels. Multiple risk factors were frequently present in the same individuals, especially among males and older women. We estimated that 19% of the men and 5% of the women were potential candidates for pharmacological intervention because of high blood cholesterol. Although our occupational sample is likely to be healthier and more educated than the general Italian population, a considerable proportion of participants was found to be at high risk for coronary heart disease. Among people at risk, the awareness of risk status was low in both men and women. Our results indicate that more resources should be directed toward educating individuals and health professionals on cardiovascular disease prevention in Italy.