Risk factors for atherosclerosis in diabetic old people in a medical office

Abstract

Introduction: atherosclerosis is one of the great predators of human health; diabetes mellitus and aging are considered among its causes, which have become an important health problem. Objective: to identify the main risk factors of atherosclerosis in old people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a medical office. Method: an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in the medical office No.16 at Hermanos Cruz Polyclinic in Pinar del Rio municipality and province, during December 2015 and February 2016. A target group of 77 old people with the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 2 was studied. All the old people under study applied a survey arranged by the authors. Descriptive statistics were used and the principles of medical ethics were met. Results: female sex was the most affected, hypertension 71,4 % was the prevailing risk factor in both sexes, the combination of most frequent risk factors were hypertension-obesity in 19,5 %, the consequent diseases of atherosclerosis turned out to be ischemic heart disease in 18,2 %, and in 16,4 % peripheral venous insufficiency. Conclusions: a high prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis and hypertension is the most frequent. Differentiated care has to be assumed in the presence of hypertension-obesity, due to its high association with the arteriosclerotic causes studied.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus tipo 2/epidemiología
• factores de riesgo
• aterosclerosis