Abstract:
Certain risk factors play an important role in a person’s
chances of developing heart disease. The more risk factors
a person has, the greater the likelihood of developing
heart disease. Proactively addressing the modifiable risk
factors reduces the chances for a person to develop a
cardiovascular disease or die from its complications.
The author wished to establish the prevalence of the risk
factors for cardiovascular diseases in workers at a district
hospital. From September 2007 to the end of October
2007, workers were invited, on a voluntary basis, to know
their ‘numbers’ (measured levels) as far as the risk for
cardiac disease was concerned. A total of 108 participants
were recruited. Among them, 6% had a random glucose of
between 7.8 to 11.0 mmol/l and 3% had a random glucose
of more than 11.1 mmol/l. Of the participants, 12% had
stage 1 hypertension, 14 % had stage 2 hypertension and 3% had severe hypertension. Among the participants, 47
% had a body mass index above the norm, hence being
at risk of heart disease; 88% did not engage in any form
of physical exercises and 7.5% were active smokers. The
survey clearly established that the workers employed at a
district hospital had risk factors for heart disease. Some of
them had established conditions such as diabetes mellitus,
overweight and hypertension.
