[Snoring and excessive daytime somnolence and risk of cardiovascular diseases]. / Chrapanie i nadmierna sennosc dzienna a ryzyko chorób sercowo-naczyniowych.

Snoring and excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) are very common in middle-age adults. The goal of the investigation was to assess links between those symptoms and risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The population studied included 1186 inhabitants of Warsaw (mean age 52 years), participants of the international multicentre study of cardiovascular disease MONICA II, who completed the sleep disordered breathing (SDB) questionnaire. Snoring was reported by 78% of males (48% habitual and 30% occasional) and 59% of females (27% habitual and 32% occasional). Every fourth (26.8%) subject declared observed apnoeas, in 9.2% apnoeas were observed every night. EDS was declared by 28.7% of studied sample. The results of the questionnaire were compared to the results of MONICA study. Snorers had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (133.2 +/- 23/84.6 +/- 13 mm Hg) compared to non-snorers (126.4 +/- 22/80.4 +/- +/- 12 mm Hg) (p < 0.0001). The high total serum cholesterol (> or = 200 mg%) and triglycerides (> or = 200 mg%) concentration, and also obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2) were more prevalent in snorers. Subjects reporting apnoeas more often had coronary artery disease (p < 0.001) or history of stroke (p = 0.002) compared to non-apnoeics. There was no relationship between EDS and risk of cardiovascular disorders, and also between diabetes and SDB. In conclusion, snoring was strongly associated with hyperlipidaemia, obesity or hypertension, well known risk factors for development of cardiovascular disorders. Reported apnoeas were related to risk of coronary artery disease.

[Evaluation of the precision of the Friedewald's formula for the calculation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration in serum]. / Dokladnosc obliczania stezenia cholesterolu lipoprotein o malej gestosci w surowicy wg wzoru Friedewalda.

The low density lipoproteins (LDL) is one of the important risk factor of coronary heart disease. Evaluation of LDL by direct method of ultracentrifugation (U-LDL), which is the most proper one, is not available in standard laboratories. Instead the Friedewald's formula is commonly used (F-LDL), which calculates level of LDL applying the values of fasting total cholesterol (CH), cholesterol of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglicerydes (TG). This formula can be used only in these samples, in which the level TG is below 4.5 mmol/l (400 mg/dl). The aim of the study was the examination of the accuracy of Friedewald's formula while compared with the concentration of LDL cholesterol determined by ultracentrifugation method and evaluate the possibility of extending the range of triglyceride concentration above 4.5 mmol/l (400 mg/dl) in this formula. The data of the study included 2213 samples of the fasting blood serum of consecutive patients in whom the direct measurement of lipoprotein fraction and calculation by Friedewald's formula were performed in years 1992-1999. All serum samples were analysed by the same standardized procedures according to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines. The data of 29 samples with extremely high value of triglyceride level (TG > 5.6 mmol/l, it is 500 mg/dl) were excluded from analysis. The main results showed that agreement between two methods of LDL evaluation was satisfactory also in extended range of TG 4.5-5.6 mmol/l (400-500 mg/dl). The mean values of U-LDL were significant higher than F-LDL (by mean 0.07 mmol/l it is 2.6 mg/dl) in group with TG < or = 4.5 mmol/l, but non significantly lower (by mean 0.13 mmol/l it is 4.9 mg/dl) in group with TG 4.5-5.6 mmol/l. Linear Pearson's and interclass correlations between U-LDL and F-LDL were high and significant in all analyses.

Snoring and excessive daytime somnolence among Polish middle-aged adults.

There is considerable interest in the association of snoring and health consequences that have been linked to more severe sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. The goal of this investigation was to assess the independent association of heavy, habitual snoring and daytime sleepiness. For this, a cross-sectional, population based study of snoring, sleepiness and other factors was conducted using the Warsaw sample of the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants of Cardiovascular Diseases (MONICA) study, a population-based multicentre study of cardiovascular disease. The well-defined MONICA sample of middle-aged males and females also allowed estimation of age- and sex-specific prevalences of habitual snoring in Polish adults. Data on self-reported snoring frequency and loudness, and daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and other questions, were collected with a postal questionnaire. Seventy-nine per cent of the MONICA sample completed the questionnaire, yielding a total of 1,186 participants. Of the total sample, 27% of the females and 48% of the males reported habitual snoring ("often" or "always"). There was an independent association of habitual snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sleepiness that interfered with work and with increasing ESS scores. Habitual snorers were 5.8 and 3.1 times more likely to report EDS in active and passive situations, respectively, compared to nonsnorers (all p<0.01). It is concluded that habitual snorers, most of whom are probably unlikely to have frank sleep apnoea syndrome, are at substantial risk for daytime sleepiness. These findings add support to the hypothesis that simple snoring is not benign and underscores the need for further research on health outcomes associated with this prevalent condition.

[Excessive daytime somnolence in the adult population of Warsaw]. / Nadmierna sennosc dzienna wsród doroslych mieszkanców Warszawy.

We studied prevalence of excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) in a representative cohort of people living in Warsaw, aged 38-67y. Forty eight items questionnaire concerning sleep habits and symptoms including Epworth Sleepiness Scale assessing EDS was mailed twice to 1503 subjects. The response rate was 79%. The average sleep time on working days was 7.1 +/- 1.1h and 8.1 +/- 1.3h on week-ends. Moderate DS was found in 21% and severe DS in 7.5% of the studied group. 0.4% of studied subjects admitted falling asleep while driving a car. These figures are comparable to that reported in recent literature. There was no relation between EDS and short hours of sleep. Severe DS was twice as frequent among men than among women (p < 0.001). There was no clear-cut relations between age and EDS.

[Lipid risk factors of coronary heart disease during longterm observation of a Warsaw Pol-Monica population-based cohort]. / Lipidowe czynniki ryzyka choroby niedokrwiennej serca w dlugofalowej obserwacji kohorty populacji warszawskiej Pol-MONICA.

The aim of the study was searching for explanatory variables of high mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) observed in Poland, with special regards to lipid risk factors, which were determined in a population of Warsaw Pol-MONICA Project. From the randomly selected cohort of Warsaw population, consisted of 348 men and 351 women, aged 35-64 at baseline, the fasting lipid levels were determined three times in 270 men and 266 women. The first study was performed in 1984 year, second in 1988 and third in 1993. The plasma level of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (CH) and HDL cholesterol (HDL), after VLDL and LDL precipitation, were measured by standardized enzymatic methods. LDL cholesterol (LDL) was calculated according to Friedewald's formula. Our laboratory was systematically controlled by WHO Lipid Reference Laboratory in Prague and CDC NHLBI Lipid Standardization Program in Atlanta. After ten years of following up total plasma CH increased significantly by 5% in women (from 5.66 to 5.94 mmol/l i.e. 219 to 230 mg/dl) and did not increase significantly in men (increase by 2%, from 5.63 to 5.75 mmol/l i.e. 218 to 222 mg/dl. LDL fraction increased significantly in both sex groups: by 11% in women (from 3.43 to 3.79 mmol/l i.e. 133 to 147 mg/dl) and by 9% in men (from 3.42 to 3.73 mmol/l i.e. 132 to 144 mg/dl). HDL fraction level changed only within the limits of the accuracy of method. Plasma TG decreased significantly in both sex groups; by 12% in women (from 1.58 to 1.39 mmol/l i.e. 140 to 123 mg/dl) and by 19% in men (from 1.93 to 1.57 mmol/l i.e. 171 to 139 mg/dl). The significant increase in percentage of subjects with elevated atherogenic lipoprotein fraction LDL (LDL >or= 4.1 mmol/l i.e. 160 mg/dl) in both gender groups and prevalence of hypercholestrolemia (CH >or= 6.5 mmol/l i.e. 250 mg/dl) in women only was observed during ten years. Simultaneously the significant decrease in the percentage of subjects with elevated level of triglycerides (TG > or = 2.3 mmol/l i.e. 200 mg/dl) in both gender groups was noticed. The relationship between lipid risk factors and age and relative body mass in all subjects was analyzed. In Polish population the levels of lipids and of atherogenic lipoproteins fractions were very high and during ten years of follow up almost all lipid risk factors, except TG, showed disadventage direction of change.

Determinants of prognosis in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease of unknown cause, is characterized by high mortality and is a major cause of cardiac transplantation. It has become, therefore, increasingly important to identify patients at higher risk. The aim of this study was to assess which of the data obtained at the time of diagnosis are the best predictors of survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred forty-four patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (118 men; mean age, 39 years) were assessed clinically, noninvasively, and hemodynamically. The effect of variables derived from the evaluation on outcome (death or heart transplantation) was examined. During a mean follow-up time of 4.1 years, 68 patients (47%) died and 9 (6%) underwent heart transplantation. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year transplant-free survival rate was 79, 69, and 44%, respectively. Cox multivariate regression analysis identified three variables as independent predictors of outcome: (1) pulmonary artery systolic pressure, P = .0001; (2) left ventricular ejection fraction, P = .0013; and (3) left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, P = .007. The prognostic index was constructed from regression coefficients and parameters significant in the Cox model. The minimal prognostic index in the study group was 1.4 and the maximal was 6.0 with a corresponding 1-year survival of 98 and 18%, respectively. The validity of the prognostic index was tested in the consecutive group of 81 patients, who were followed for a mean 2.3 years. The prognostic index of the poor outcome group differed significantly from that in survivors (3.7 vs 2.9, respectively, P < .01). The sensitivity and specificity of model predictions were 68 and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of pulmonary hypertension and left ventricular dysfunction provides an independent insight into the prognosis of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. The prognostic index is useful when assessing prognosis and may be helpful in the timing of heart transplantation.

[Analysis of psychosocial factors in epidemiologic study of cardiologic examination--preliminary results of Warsaw POL-MONICA]. / Analiza czynników psychospolecznych w epidemiologicznym badaniu kardiologicznym--wyniki wstepne badania POL-MONICA Warszawa.

Several epidemiological studies have focused on influence of psychosocial factors on intensity of cardiovascular diseases in general population. In 1988 Warsaw POL-MONICA PROJECT was performed covering the population of 710 men and 723 women, aged 35-64. We found that 25.1% men and 25.8% women had type A behaviour pattern (TABP). TABP was rare represented in the older age group and in low-educated persons. Extreme sleep disturbances were observed significantly (p < 0.001) more often in women (10.7%) than in men (4.9%) and the percentage increased with age. Extreme sleep disturbances were also found more often among elementary educated persons (16%) versus the others (p < 0.001). Low social support level was observed twice often in women (29.7%) than in men (14.8%) and the percentage increased with age and with lower education level (p < 0.001). Extreme stress level was found more often in women (13.3%) than in men (5.6%) (p < 0.001) and in the oldest age-group. In both sex-groups mean anger levels decreased with age (p < 0.05). Mean anxiety levels didn't differ significantly neither in age-groups nor in education categories.

Assessment of blood pressure measurement quality in the baseline surveys of the WHO MONICA project.

Because of the general inavailability of reference standards, there exist no common procedures to assess the quality of blood pressure measurements in epidemiological population surveys. To approach this problem within the collaborative international WHO MONICA Project, a standardized assessment of BP measurement quality was developed and applied to the forty-seven baseline surveys of that project. The entire assessments were carried out in retrospect, that is, only after each population survey had been completed. The assessment was focused on the procedures of quality assurance and control as reportedly applied in each survey, and on quality indicators which were derived from the recorded blood pressure values of each survey. The definitions of specific quality assessment items were based on the MONICA project protocol and on sources in the pertinent literature. The available information on quality assurance and control procedures depended solely on self-reports by local survey organizers and on site visits, and was occasionally found to be at variance with the actual blood pressure recordings. Therefore, quality indicators derived from actual blood pressure recordings were far more informative and comparable between surveys. Each survey was rated as optimal, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory with regard to single quality items and these single scores were used jointly to compute a summary score of blood pressure measurement quality for each survey. This summary score indicated that 39 out of 47 MONICA baseline surveys showed optimal or satisfactory BP measurement quality. Limitations and potentials for improvement of quality assessments became apparent. We conclude that a standardized assessment of BP measurement quality in epidemiological population surveys seems feasible and propose that quality assessment methods similar to the ones suggested here become a routine part of future epidemiological analyses of blood pressure values and hypertension in populations. This should facilitate valid study comparisons.

Left ventricular enlargement is common in relatives of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by dilation and impaired contractility of one or both ventricles. Long-term prognosis is poor. Early diagnosis has the potential for substantial reduction of morbidity and mortality. Recent studies, based on echocardiographic assessment of relatives of the patients have shown that familial dilated cardiomyopathy is relatively common. The authors studied 215 relatives (mean age, 27 years; 111 male) of 38 index patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy by clinical examination, electrocardiography, and two-dimensional, M-mode and Doppler echocardiography. Seven relatives (3%) from six families were shown to have dilated cardiomyopathy. Thus, 6 of the 38 index patients (16%) had familial disease. Furthermore, left ventricular enlargement either during diastole or systole was found in 66 of 174 healthy relatives (38%). This is significantly more frequent than in our normal control population of 100 unrelated subjects studied in the same way (18%; P < .0001). These 66 relatives with left ventricular enlargement belonged to 27 of the 38 examined families (71%). Dilated cardiomyopathy was found to be familial in 16% of patients. Of the relatives examined, 41% had left ventricular abnormalities. These findings provide further evidence for a genetic background of dilated cardiomyopathy. Relatives with left ventricular enlargement may have an early stage and/or latent form of the disease.

[Factors influencing survival in patients with coronary disease. I. Characteristics of examined patients and survival curves]. / Czynniki wplywajace na przezywalnosc chorych z choroba wiencowa--Czesc I. Charakterystyka badanych chorych i krzywe przezycia.

The group of 683 patients with the significant narrowing (> 70%) of at least one coronary vessel diagnosed by coronarography performed between 1976-1988 in the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw was followed during one to seven years. The number of patients with a poor left ventricular function was high in the group treated surgically and non surgically. Ejection fraction < 50% was found in 27% and 43% respectively, LVEDP > 12 mmHg (66% and 69%), EDVI > 100 ml/m2 (58% and 70%). Survival curves were calculated in the two different subsets of patients treated surgically and non surgically. Despite some favorite trend toward a better outcome for patients treated surgically the differences were not statistically significant for a whole group. However we showed a significantly higher probability of survival in the subgroup of the three vessel disease treated surgically compared to other treatment. There were no significant differences in survival in patients with one, two, or three vessel disease treated surgically (survival probability of 0.82; 0.78; 0.84 respectively after 7 years). In patients treated non surgically the growing number of diseased vessels worsened the prognosis (survival probability of 0.84; 0.78; 056 respectively). In our observation the differences for better outcome in patients with poor left ventricular function treated surgically did not reach a statistical significance.

[Factors influencing survival in patients with coronary heart disease. II. Multivariate logistic function analysis]. / Czynniki wplywajace na przezywalnosc chorych z choroba wiencowa--Czesc II--Analiza metoda funkcji logistycznej wielu zmiennych.

A group of 683 patients with the significant narrowing (> 70%) of at least one coronary vessel diagnosed by coronarography performed between 1976-1988 in the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw was followed during one to seven years. Two hundred ninety of them were treated surgically, 393 non surgically. A multivariate logistic function (MLF) analysis of 10 variables is presented obtained from anamnesis and hemodynamic data and their significance upon survival after 2, 4 and 6 years. In the group treated non surgically the number of narrowed vessels was a factor independently significant after 2, 4 and 6 years. After 4 and 6 years the ejection fraction and the left ventricle end diastolic volume index were also significant. In the group treated surgically none of those were significant after 2 years. After 4 and 6 years anamnesis of arterial hypertonia was significant after 6 years also left ventricle end diastolic volume index. Coefficients calculated from multivariate logistic function analysis allow the calculation of probability of survival for an individual patient.

[Drug consumption by the patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) studied by the Pol-Monica Warsaw and the effect of selected factors on the treatment of IHD]. / Spozycie leków przez chorych na chorobe niedokrwienna serca (CHNS) w badaniu Pol-Monica Warszawa oraz wplyw wybranych czynników na fakt leczenia CHNS.

As part of a multicentre WHO MONICA-Project the present drug consumption by Warsaw population was assessed (evaluated by DDD). In Warsaw population 2646 inhabitants aged 35-64 years were examined. Ischaemic heart disease was diagnosed in 30% screened persons. Only 39% of subjects were involved in taking cardiovascular drugs. In ischaemic heart disease the drugs used most frequently were pentaerythritol tetranitrate and dipyridamole. The influence of several psychosocial factors on the fact of undertaking of pharmacological therapy was analysed using multivariant logistic function method. Significant relationships were found for age, health self-care self-estimation of health status and fact of medical consultation. Persons with high values of MLF (fifth quintile) underwent drug treatment six time more often, then persons with low values of MLF (first quintile).

[Utilization of risk factors in medical practice for ischemic heart disease evaluation]. / Uzyteczny w praktyce lekarskiej wskaznik ryzyka zachorowania na chorobe niedokrwienna serca.

The Multivariate risk of developing Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) during period of 6 years was estimated for men aged 40-59 years on the basis of 2 Polish populations. Coefficients of multivariate logistic function (MLF) were calculated using sample of 4831 men with 240 cases of IHD. The significant risk factors were: age, total serum cholesterol level, diastolic blood pressure, number of cigarettes smoked, familial history of IHD. For these five significant factors new MLF coefficients were calculated. Discriminant power and goodness of fit for both functions were analysed and no significant differences found. The reduced MLF was applied to construct a simple questionnaire of IHD risk test.

[Long-term Pol-MONICA-Warsaw project: pattern of blood pressure among the population and the effects of selected factors on the blood pressure level]. / Badanie dlugoterminowe Pol-MONICA-Warszawa: rozklad cisnienia tetniczego w populacji oraz wplyw wybranych czynników na poziom cisnienia.

Out of 1800 men and 1800 women being the random sample of population of two Warsaw districts aged 35-64 years, 1309 men and 1337 women (response rate 72.7% and 74.3% were screened in 1984 within the framework of the Pol-MONICA Warsaw Project. Standardized mean values of systolic blood pressure did not differ between men and women but the mean values of diastolic blood pressure were higher in men. Mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased in both sexes with age, however diastolic blood pressure increased only up to age 45-54 years. Prevalence of hypertension according to WHO criteria was higher in men than in women and in both sexes increased with age. Among subjects with hypertension the mild diastolic hypertension was most frequent. The high percentage of subjects with hypertension at screening was not previously detected (47.4% men and 27.6% women). The fact of hypertension detection was not equal with undertaking therapy because 58.9% men and 46.6% women with detected hypertension were never treated. The effectiveness of therapy (achieving goal) was 24% in men and 27.4% in women. The performed multiple regression analysis indicated that Quetelet index and pulse rate were independently related with systolic blood pressure in both sexes and additionally education level, alcohol consumption and HDL-cholesterol concentration in men and age and family history of hypertension in women. As far as the diastolic blood pressure is concerned the Quetelet index, pulse rate and family history were significantly related in both sexes and additionally in men ethanol consumption and HDL-cholesterol concentration.

Comparison of official mortality statistics with data obtained from myocardial infarction and stroke registers.

Two sources of information about deaths caused by myocardial infarction and stroke were compared: official statistical data obtained from the Central Statistical office (CSO), and data from the registers of myocardial infarction and stroke conducted under the POL-MONICA Warsaw Project. The completeness of the MONICA registers with respect to the CSO data was 78%, and the completeness of the CSO data with respect to the MONICA registers was 88%. The main causes of the differences were: lack of information in the registers on deaths outside Warsaw; lack of unequivocal identification markers in patients' records from different sources; and other errors in data processing. The agreement of the diagnoses in death certificates (in the CSO material) with the diagnoses in the MONICA registers was 70.4% for myocardial infarction, and 64.4% for stroke. The main cause of the disagreement between the diagnoses was a different methodological approach to the collection of data in the two information sources.

Quality assessment of blood pressure measurements in epidemiological surveys. The impact of last digit preference and the proportions of identical duplicate measurements. WHO Monica Project [corrected].

In the WHO MONICA Project, cardiovascular risk factor surveys including measurements of arterial blood pressure (BP) were conducted in more than 50 different populations. In the course of a retrospective BP measurement quality assessment effort, two indicators of "prejudiced" blood pressure reading, last digit preference and high proportions of identical results in duplicate measurements, are used in addition to other items to evaluate blood pressure measurement quality. We used fictitious blood pressure distributions and applied to them Last Digit Preference scores and Proportions of Identical Duplicate Measurements actually found in the MONICA surveys. The analysis showed that Last Digit Preference affects predominantly the shape of the BP distribution curve, whereas high Proportions of Identical Duplicate Measurements may cause a shift of the entire BP distribution curve. Although the two items are partly interrelated, a clear distinction between them and their effects is advocated.

[12-year trends in cardiovascular disease mortality]. / Dwunastoletnie trendy umieralnosci z powodu chorób ukladu krazenia.

The coefficients and trends of mortality in years 1976-1987, based on data of Central Statistical Office, has been estimated in population of men and women aged 25 to 64 years, inhabitants of the Warsaw city region or the county region of Tarnobrzeg province . The trend of decrease of general mortality due to diseases of circulatory system has been statistically significant one similarly as that of mortality due to other heart diseases or ischaemic heart disease in men (group aged 25-34 or 35-44 years) in the Tarnobrzeg province . The analogously significant trend of mortality due to diseases of circulatory system or ischemic heart diseases in men aged 35-44 years has been stated in the Warsaw inhabitants. In the group of women an increase of general mortality has been noted in the youngest age group in Warsaw. In Warsaw and the Tarnobrzeg province in 1987 deaths due to diseases of circulatory system represented 33.2% and 39.9%, respectively, of total death pool among subjects aged 25 to 64 years. The respective percentages in the group of women were 29.1% and 39.4%.

[Characteristics of the main risk factors of coronary disease among the population of Warsaw and rural agricultural population of the Tarnobrzeg province]. / Charakterystyka glównych czynników ryzyka choroby niedokrwiennej serca w populacji wielkomiejskiej Warszawy i rolniczo-przemyslowej województwa tarnobrzeskiego.

Basing on results of first screening of the Pol-MONICA Project in 1984 in two centres that is the Tarnobrzeg province and two districts of Polish capital Warsaw (Praga South and Praga North) the level of 11 main coronary disease risk factors was compared in 2469 men and 2729 women. The following 5 risk factors were statistically significant for both men and women: the Durnin index of body fat content, the total cholesterol concentration in the plasma, triglyceride level, numbers of daily meals. The mean level of two factors that is the HDL-cholesterol concentration and the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio was lower in the Warsaw sample what speaks in favor of concept that the ischemic heart disease threat is greater in that population. Among men the Warsaw population exhibited moreover the significantly higher value of diastolic blood pressure as well as of Quetelet body mass index; age and numbers of cigarettes smoked daily has also been higher in that population. In women from the Tarnobrzeg province ++ the diastolic blood pressure was higher than that in the Warsaw population. The two populations studied showed also highly significant differences so far as the complex of all 11 features is concerned what enabled the qualification of 72.3% of men, and 68.4% of women as belonging to the big city population or to the agricultural-industrial population using the discriminant Fisher function.

[Regional conditions of the smoking habit-- the POL-MONICA 1984 studies]. / Regionalne uwarunkowania nalogu palenia papierosów. Badanie POL-MONICA 1984.

The POL-MONICA Project screened in 1984 1309 men and 1337 women aged 35 to 64 years, inhabitants of Warsaw (the Warsaw centre) and 1250 men and 1472 women aged 35 to 64 years, inhabitants of the Tarnobrzeg province (the Cracow centre). In both environments the percentage of smoking men was similar (about 57%). Women from big city environment smoked three times more frequently (33.1%) than in the agricultural areas (10.7%). The smoking intensity was higher in the agricultural areas both among men and women. It has been stated that smoking habit depends on such social or demographic patterns as age, sex, civil state, education, physical activity related to work. Smoking influenced significantly the level of such risk factors as systolic arterial blood pressure, the fat body content in both men and women, and the HDL-cholesterol in women from both environments.