Cardiovascular risk in older adults at the "5 de Septiembre" Polyclinic of Consolación del Sur

Abstract

Introduction: cardiovascular health in the elderly constitutes a line of research of great value for the improvement of health services in primary health care. Objective: to identify the cardiovascular risk in older adults of the clinic No. 25 of the "5 de Septiembre" University Polyclinic, of Consolación del Sur, in the period from November 2019 to September 2022. Methods: an observational, analytical and prospective cohort study was carried out. The sample consisted of 176 patients by simple random sampling. One-factor analysis of variance, Student's t-test and Mann Whitney U test were used as inferential statistical tests, in addition to the Kaplan-Meier curve to predict event-free evolution. Results: 36,4 % of the adults were aged 80 to 89 years and 72,7 % had a moderate cardiovascular risk. A significant statistical association (p<0,001) was identified between age, sex, blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio and cardiovascular risk. The presence of sedentary lifestyle, left ventricular hypertrophy, atrial fibrillation, family history of diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, being a smoker and consuming alcohol were associated with increased cardiovascular risk (p<0,001). Follow-up up to 18 months identified the presence of cardiovascular events represented by 27,3 %. Conclusions: a moderate cardiovascular risk determined by the presence of different factors was identified in older adults, with the occurrence of early cardiovascular events in those at higher cardiovascular risk.

Keywords

• riesgo cardiovascular
• ancianos
• enfermedades del corazón
• atención primaria de salud