Continued Decline in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: Results of the Minnesota Heart Survey, 1980–1982 and 1985–1987

Abstract

Systematic, simultaneous surveillance of cardiovascular disease risk factors, morbidity, and mortality is ongoing in the Minnesota Heart Survey. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured in population-based surveys of Twin Cities metropolitan area residents aged 25-74 years in 1980-1982 and 1985-1987. During this period, age-adjusted, average systolic blood pressure declined nonsignificantly in men and significantly in women, and average, age-adjusted diastolic blood pressure declined 1.1 mmHg in men and 0.9 mmHg in women. Between 1980-1982 and 1985-1987, serum total cholesterol declined significantly, 5.2 and 5.8 mg/dl in men and women, respectively. Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 1.6 mg/dl in men and 0.9 mg/dl in women. The prevalence of cigarette smoking declined by 14% in men and 18% in women. In contrast, the average body mass index increased 0.6 kg/m2 in men and 1.2 kg/m2 in women. Systematic hospital and death certificate surveillance found that mortality rates for coronary heart disease in the Twin Cities metropolitan area declined 20.1% in men and 12.9% in women from 1981 to 1986. Despite difficulties in interpretation of ecologic studies, it appears likely that improvements in population risk factor levels played a role in the decline in disease rates and could influence future mortality trends in this population.

Secular changes in blood pressure in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood: systematic review of trends from 1948 to 1998

“…[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] Three further studies from the USA, 37 Italy 38 and Australia 39 provided measures of blood pressure change, but did not include actual blood pressures, and are described in the text.…”

“…Trends in blood pressure in early life P McCarron et al A final US study, from the Twin Cities, based on findings from the Lipid Research Clinic Prevalence Survey and from two random cluster surveys, the Minnesota Heart Surveys, reported continuous declines in both male and female mean blood pressure among individuals aged 25-34 years from 1973-74 to 1985-87. 25,26 European studies have also described blood pressure trends. Among individuals aged 16-24 and 25-34 years who participated in the Health Survey for England over the period 1993-2000, 27 there was a small, approximately uniform decline in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.…”

“…19 In youth aged 12-17 years, the proportion of participants with elevatated blood pressure declined from 6.4 to 3.6% over the same period. 19 Trends in hypertension in early adulthood Among participants in the US NH(AN)ES surveys the prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure X140/90 mmHg) rose in white males aged [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] years and in white females aged 25-34 years from 1960 to 1980. 23 In other age-sex-race groups the prevalence of hypertension declined.…”

“…25 In a further report from the same researchers, a histogram of the prevalence of hypertension (X140/90 mmHg) indicated that there was a small decline in the prevalence of hypertension in young males from approximately 10 to 8% between 1980 and 1987, while the proportion of females with hypertension remained unchanged at approximately 3-4%. 26 In the English Health Survey, the prevalence of hypertension in adolescents and young adults declined from 1993 to 1998. In Scotland, modest decreases occurred among 16 to 24-year-olds, but small increments were seen in 25 to 34-year-olds.…”

Effect of a community-based intervention on nutritional behaviour in a developing country setting: the Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme

“…CVD has emerged as the leading cause of mortality in Iran over the last decade (3) . Several effective and successful intervention programmes in industrialized countries, targeting CVD risk factors, have resulted in decreasing prevalence of CVD events (4)(5)(6) . These have been rare in developing countries.…”