Cardiovascular risk factors in employees of a cardiac institution.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics, demographic profile, and cardiovascular risk factors of 856 permanent employees of a cardiac institution. It also aimed to determine the association of their characteristics with hypertension, obesity, and cigarette smoking.

METHODS: The study was an analytical cross-sectional study. Risk factors for atherosclerosis such as blood pressure; body-mass index (BMI); waist circumference; level of daily physical activity through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; and smoking history were determined. Association of baseline characteristics to risk factors were correlated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking among permanent employees of our cardiac institution was 9.7%, and 28.6% having some form of cigarette exposure in the past or present. Non-collegiate educational level, male gender and alcoholic beverage drinking were predictors of current cigarette smoking. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the correlates for hypertension were age, male gender, working in the Administrative Services, being separated, obesity by BMI or waist circumference, sedentary lifestyle, and family history of hypertension. Abdominal obesity was correlated with BMI, as well as being married, female, diabetic, and hypertensive. Employees in the Administrative Services were less likely to be obese. Those with a family history of hypertension were less likely to be current smokers or obese by waist circumference. A sedentary lifestyle was correlated with a collegiate degreeor higher, working in the Administrative Services, age and hypertension.