Frequency of coronary heart disease risk factors among nurses

ABSTRACT

To find out frequency of various risk factors for coronary heart diseases in nurses. This was a cross-sectional study. Nurses working in three shifts at Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Nursing school of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, were included in the study. All participants were interviewed in detail including their family history, past medical history, smoking and dietary history. Pulse, blood pressure, body mass index [BMI] and waist hip ratio was determined. Their random blood sugar and total cholesterol was checked. Data was analyzed for cardiovascular risk factors using SPSS version 16. A total of 165 nurses were screened and interviewed. Mean age was 40.75 +/- 8.577 years. Mean BMI was 28.80 +/- 4.77. Mean systolic BP was 124.82 +/- 20.91 mm Hg, while mean diastolic BP was 82.45 +/- 13.07 mm Hg. Mean random blood sugar was 128.39 +/- 52.74 mg /dl. Diabetic nurses were 18[10.9%],hypertensive nurses were 31[18.8%], nurses having high cholesterol were 4[2.4%], nurses having documented CAD were2[1.2%], other than above risk factors or conditions were present in 34[20.6%] of the nurses, not having any of the mentioned risk factors or diseases were present in 76[46.1%]. Nurses not having any regular exercise schedule were 104 [63%]. We noticed that among modifiable risk factors hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and hypertension were less frequent in nurses while obesity, physical inactivity and sedentary life style with more duty hours and smoking were more prevalent