Analysis of incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and evaluation of their control in epidemiological survey in the Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis was to analyze the presence of the most important cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and to discuss patterns of LDL cholesterol management in the population studied. METHODS: We enrolled 961 males, average age of 42.9 ± 4.7, and 851 females, average age of 51.2 ± 3.6. Data on personal, pharmacological and family history, and laboratory examinations were collected. Cardiovascular (CV) risk was calculated using the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) algorithm with modifications according to the guidelines. RESULTS: The distribution of CV risk in the observed cohort was as follows: 24% of the subjects had low, 51% moderate, 17% high and 8% very high risk. The percentage of patients who reached target values of LDL cholesterol was dramatically lower in the groups with very high (1%) and high (3%) risk than in the groups with moderate (14%) or low risk (59%). Dyslipidemia was newly identified in 20% of both sexes. Arterial hypertension was newly diagnosed in 8% of males and 5% of females, and type 2 diabetes mellitus was newly diagnosed in 3% of both the males and females. Dyslipidemia was present in 39% of males and 41% of females; arterial hypertension in 43% of males and 45% of females, and type 2 diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 11% of the subjects of both sexes. 49% of males and 31% of females were overweight and 32% of both genders were obese. There were 36% of male smokers and 22% of female smokers. 48% of the participants were pharmacologically treated. Non-pharmacological treatment was recommended to 62% of male and to 65% of female participants. Pharmacological intervention was started in 53% of males and 51% of females. In both gender antihypertensive treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (29% of males and 27% of females) and lipid lowering therapy with a statin (28% of males, 27% of females) were the most commonly initiated treatments. In the subgroup of the 101 patients with LDL cholesterol levels > 5 mmol/L 56% were not treated with a statin. The analysis of relationship between the positive family history of any of the followed CV risks showed significant increases of the risk for arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: European guidelines suggest general screening for risk factors, including analysis of lipid profiles in the population of 40-year-old males and 50-year-old or postmenopausal women. Our study documents high prevalence and incidence of CV risk factors together with insufficient control of the risk factors in Czech patients of this age range. This finding suggests that preventive examinations should be undertaken earlier (e.g., in 30-year-old males and 40-year-old women). Exact timing of the preventive check-ups to yield the best cost-benefit ratio needs to be verified.

Amaranth as a potential dietary adjunct of lifestyle modification to improve cardiovascular risk profile.

The aim of this review was to summarize data regarding amaranth as a potential component of lifestyle modification to improve cardiovascular risk profiles by modifying cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension. PubMed was searched for appropriate articles. The main inclusion criteria for articles were as follows: interventions with amaranth; conducted in humans or animals or in vitro; and reported serum lipids and lipoprotein levels, and antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant abilities. The outcome measures were changes in serum lipids and the presence of antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activity. A total of 33 articles were included herein. Regarding hypolipidemic activity, most studies investigated the effect of intervention with amaranth in animals, and fewer studies were performed in humans. Most studies in animal models demonstrated the ability of amaranth to decrease total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Pilot studies in humans were not convincing regarding amaranth's lipid-lowering activity. Based on this search, it is not clear which constituents are potentially responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effect of amaranth. Some authors tend to think that squalene can play a role in this effect, whereas others suggest that different components of amaranth are of greater importance (eg, sterols, oil fractions rich in fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, or fiber) for its hypocholesterolemic effect. It is possible that several constituents are jointly responsible for this action. Regarding the antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities, most studies were performed in vitro and showed good potential for all three biological effects. Future research should focus on clarifying the effect of amaranth on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, identifying the constituents responsible for these beneficial effects, and providing more data regarding its use in humans, ideally using randomized controlled trials. The antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities found in vitro should be confirmed further in animal or human models.

[Cardiovascular risk profile in 40-year old men and 50-year old women in the Czech Republic: results of a cross-sectional survey]. / Kardiovaskulární rizikový profil u 40letých muzu a 50letých zen v Ceské republice: výsledky prurezové studie.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) disease belongs to the most important mortality causes worldwide. Early identification of risk factors and increased CV risk may help decrease of morbidity and mortality. An optimal age for CV risk factors screening ages of 40 in males and of 50 in females have been identified. CV risk profile of persons in these age categories has been examined by general practitioners and recorded for the purposes of this cross-sectional survey. METHODS: 1812 persons, males at average age of 40 years and females at average age of 50 years, were included into the survey. In each of the examined family and personal history including pharmacological were recorded into the study protocol as well as abusus and physical activity patterns. Basic anthropometrical parameters, e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, body mass index and laboratory measures including blood lipids and glycaemia. The participating physicians recorded newly identified risk factors CV disease and determined the global CVD risk according to the SCORE charts. Percentage of those already treated for any of the main CVD risk factors and, among these, also attaining the treatment goals. The percentage of patients with a newly identified CV risk factor was calculated. We also tested the hypothesis of a relationship between positive family history of any of the followed risk factors and its risk in the examined probands using Pearson´s test. RESULTS: 961 males, average age of 42.9 ± 4.7 years, and 851 females , average age of 51.2 ± 3.6 years, were enrolled into the study. 49% of males and 31% of females were overweight and 32% men and 31% of women were obese. There were 36% of smokers among men and 22% among women. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 11% in males and also in females. Arterial hypertension was diagnosed in 43% of males and 45% of females while dyslipidemia was present in 39% of males and 41% of females. Pharmacological treatment of any of the above mentioned diseases was used in 48% of the probands, however, only 7% of them attained treatment goals of blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol and glycaemia. Type 2 diabetes was newly identified in 3% of both males and females, arterial hypertension in 8% of males and 5% of females and dyslipidemia was newly detected in 20% of probands of both genders. Non-pharmacological treatment was recommended to 62% of male and to 65% of female participants, respectively. Pharmacological treatment was initiated in 53% of males and 51% of females. In both genders this was mostly antihypertensive treatment with ACE inhibitors (29% of males and 24% of females) and lipid lowering therapy with a statin (29% of males, 27% females). The analysis of relationship between the positive family history of any of the followed diseases and their presence in the probands examined revealed significant increases of the risk for arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: The survey following CV risk profile in a cohort of 40 years old men and 50 years old women showed high prevalence of CV risk factors in these age categories in the Czech probands. The high frequency of modifiable risk factors and the need to initiate pharmacological treatment in more than one half of the examined population documents the need of early detection of risk. Genetic determination of individual major risk factors for CVD mirrored in the positive family history represents an important component of the global cardiovascular risk and must be actively detected and taken into account for the risk stratification.

A comparison of the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on plasma cholesterol in mice with diet-induced dyslipidemia.

Amaranth was identified as a possible component of an anti-sclerotic diet. To date, particular substances responsible for this effect have not been exactly specified. Squalene, which is contained in amaranth, could be responsible for this effect. However, there are also other potential substances and the hypolipidemic effect of amaranth can be caused by a synergistic effect of several components. This study investigated and compared the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on the total cholesterol (CHOL(TOT)) and LDL cholesterol (CHOL(LDL)) levels in mice with dyslipidemia induced by a cholesterol- and sugar-rich diet. The experiment included 40 inbred mice (C57Bl/6J SPF). After a 7-days acclimatization period, animals were divided into four groups by random. Individual groups were fed different diets for 49 days: control (group C), high energy diet (group HED), high energy diet with amaranth flour (group HED+A) and high energy diet with squalene (group HED+S). The sugar- and cholesterol-rich diet in HED resulted in the significant increase in the levels of CHOL(TOT) by 125% (P < 0.05) and CHOL(LDL) by 304% (P < 0.05), and at the same time in a decrease of HDL cholesterol (CHOL(HDL)) levels by 58% (P < 0.05) compared to group C. To the contrary, amaranth flour enriched diet in group HED+A led to a decrease of CHOL(TOT) levels by 33% (P < 0.05) and CHOL(LDL) by 37% (P < 0.05), compared to HED. Both, amaranth flour and squalene, had a positive impact on CHOL(HDL) levels. Compared to group HED, there was a 47% increase in HED+A and a 60% increase in HED+S. Results proved the favorable impact of amaranth flour on the levels of total cholesterol CHOL(TOT) and also on CHOL(LDL). Furthermore, the results imply that amaranth flour contains besides squalene other substances, which can actively participate in its hypolipidemic effect.