Cardiovascular risk profile in Peruvian medical students

• Published in: The FASEB journal 2016-04, Vol.30 (S1)
• Main Authors: Fernández‐Rodríguez, Lissett Jeanette, Bardales‐Zuta, Victor Hugo, Avalos‐Alvarado, Carlos Eduardo, Hilario‐Vargas, Julio Santos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.lb615

Abstract only We report the results of a cross‐sectional study that queries cardiovascular risk in second year medical students enrolled at Antenor Orrego Private University, Trujillo, Peru. We selected 78 students (58 women, 20 men) randomly. At the beginning of the semester, we determined medical and family history, age, adverse habits, somatometrics, blood pressure, baseline blood glucose, lipid profile and electrocardiograms of the participants over one week. The average age was 18.90 ± 1.5 for women and 18.70 ± 1.2 men. 39.7% of women and 50% men came from Trujillo, 58.6 and 75% had a family history of diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension, 55.2 and 45% had medical history, 5.2 and 10% smoke, 16 and 35% had systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg and 7 and 20% had diastolic pressure ≥ 85 mmHg. The 38 and 55% were overweight, 3% and 10% were in obesity grade I, 2% and 5% in grade II and 5% males in grade III. The waist ‐hip index for 71% of women was > 0.80 and was > 0.95 for 30% of men. 2 and 10% had high triglycerides. 9% of women presented total cholesterol at the upper limit. 69% and 50% had low HDL, 3 and 2% of women had high and very high LDL. 46.6% had electrocardiographic abnormalities. We found that cardiovascular risk factors such as changes in lipid metabolism and ECG, overweight and obesity were common among medical students. This study underlines that universities should implement primary prevention measures to reverse or slow this trend among late‐teenage students, as earlier intervention can improve lifespan and outcome in the long term. Support or Funding Information Antenor Orrego Private University.