Cardiovascular risk factors in older adults at the "Fermín Valdés Domínguez" University Polyclinic

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a set of conditions of the heart and blood vessels. There are risk factors that have a greater contribution in the development of these diseases. Objective: To identify cardiovascular risk factors in older adults belonging to the family doctor's office No. 6 from January 2020 to April 2022. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, from a universe of 192 older adults, 152 were selected by non-probabilistic purposive sampling. Theoretical and empirical methods, such as surveys, were used for data collection. For statistical analysis, the distribution of absolute frequencies and percentages were used, in addition to the Odds ratio, to verify the association between risk factors and cardiovascular diseases. Results: The predominant age group in the sample studied was between 60 and 69 years and female sex. Alcohol consumption, smoking, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were the cardiovascular risk factors significantly associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases; more than half of the sample presented a diagnostic conclusion of high risk for the development of a cardiovascular event. Conclusions: cardiovascular risk factors in older adults constitute a problem to be faced by Primary Health Care in order to reduce the development of cardiovascular diseases in this age group.

Keywords

• factores de riesgo cardiovascular
• prevención de salud
• enfermedades cardiovasculares