Prevalência de fatores de risco cardiovasculares entre universitários do interior do Amazonas

Abstract

Introduction: Modifiable risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and overweight, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, smoking, physical inactivity, stress, and anxiety) are those that can be reversed or mitigated through lifestyle changes. Identifying modifiable cardiovascular risk factors enables early interventions to prevent the development of disease in the future. Objective: To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among young adults at a public university in the interior of Amazonas. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional analytical study conducted between June and December 2023 at the Institute of Health and Biotechnology of the Federal University of Amazonas (ISB-UFAM), located in the city of Coari/AM. The population consisted of ISB-UFAM students. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) was used to analyze physical activity levels. Anthropometric assessment was performed by measuring weight and height to determine Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist and hip circumference to obtain the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Blood pressure (BP) was measured using the Karotkoff auscultatory method with an aneroid sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. The modified Borg Scale was used to assess the degree of dyspnea and fatigue before and after the tests. Results: The study sample consisted of 84 participants with a mean age of 23.9 ± 4.79 years, of whom 57% were female and 77% considered themselves to be of mixed race. Considering the number of modifiable risk factors, men had 3.2 ± 1.22 factors and women had 2.6 ± 1.033 risk factors. Among physically active and sedentary subjects, the mean risk factors were 2.4 ± 1.01 versus 3.4 ± 1.08 risk factors, a significant difference (p< 0.001). Students in undergraduate and multidisciplinary courses had 3.2 ± 1.61 factors, and those in the health field had 2.7 ± 0.94 risk factors. Conclusion: In summary, the findings of this study signal to university students the need to acquire good lifestyle habits in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.