Occurrence of Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases in Nursing Staff

Overview

Objective:
The aim of our study was to evaluate risk factors of cardiovasular diseases in nursing staff (nurses) from a big hospital.

Material and Methods:
We examined altogether 1159 staff members (average age 33.1 years; range 19–62 years), 19 males (average age 26.8 years; range 21–50 years) and 1140 females (average age 33.3 years; range 19–62 years) categorized as nursing staff (nurses) between 2002 and 2004. These staff members filled in the questionnaire on basic risk factors of cardiovascular diseases at the preventive examination, nurses at the department of preventive cardiology filled in basic data needed for determining the CVD risk (weight, height, waist, hip, values of lipid metabolism, glycaemia), they calculated the current risk of cardiovascular diseases and the risk at 60 years according to valid tables.

Results:
The current high risk of cardiovascular diseases was found in 1 female (0.1%), the risk at 60 years was found at 17 staff members (1.5%), 2 males (10.5%) and 15 females (1.3%). 9 males (47.6%) and 361 females (31.7%) were smokers. The occurrence of smoking was significantly higher than in the general population (P < 0.05). The disorder of lipid metabolism was found in 425 staff members (36.7%), with a higher frequency found in females (36.9%) than in males (21.1%). Overweight was found in 231 staff members (19.9%) (15.7% males and 20.0% females) and obesity in 98 staff members (8.4%) (5.2% males and 8.5% females). The occurrence of this risk factors is significantly lower than in general population (P < 0.05). Hypertension was found in 180 staff members (15.5%), the higher frequency was found in males (21.0%) than females (15.4%). 708 staff members (61.0%), (94.7% males and 60.4% females) reported an adequate physical activity, a low physical activity reported 345 females (29.7% of the whole sample, 30.2% of the female sample), no physical activity reported 96 females (8.2% of the whole sample, 8.4% of the female sample).

Conclusion:
The occurrence of affectable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in nursing staff (nurses) is high. It is necessary to go on applying the combination of medical and social approaches in a focused intervention of these risk factors.

Key words:
risk factors, cardiovascular diseases, nursing staff, nurses