AWARENESS OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH MARKERS OF VASCULAR AGING: DATA FROM THE BRISIGHELLA HEART STUDY

Objective: An adequate perception of own cardiovascular disease risk profi le is fundamental to improve adherence to life-style rules and preventive treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the vascular aging of subjects aware and not aware to be hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic, hypertriglyceridemic or diabetics. Design and method: During the last Brisighella Heart Study Survey, we interviewed 1652 subjects without overt cardiovascular diseases (M: 46.6%, F: 53.4%) about their awareness of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia or type 2 diabetes. The diagnosis was assessed by either laboratory and clinical data sampled during the survey, on-treatment therapies or general practitioner clinical forms. Then we compared the augmentation index and pulse wave velocity of subjects aware and not aware of the investigated cardiovascular risk factors. Results: 1049 participants declared not to be hypertensive, while 32 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 246 (23.5%) and 16 (50%) were hypertensive. Subjects not aware of their hypertension had signifi cantly higher aortic blood pressure than aware ones (p < 0.001). 841 participants declared not to be hypercholesterolemic, while 60 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 152 (18.1%) and 24 (40%) were hypercholesterolemic. Subjects not aware of their hypercholesterolemia had signifi cantly higher augmentation index than the aware ones (p < 0.05). 1226 participants declared not to be hypertriglyceridemic, while 200 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 240 (19.2%) and 88 (44%) were hypertriglyceridemic. Subjects not aware of their hypertriglyceridemia had signifi cantly higher TG levels aware ones (p < 0.05), although this seemed to not related to increased arterial stiffness. 1472 participants declared not to be diabetic, while 20 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 28 (2.0%) and 5 (25.0%) were diabetics. Subjects not aware of their diabetes had signifi cantly higher augmentation index than the aware ones (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The lack of awareness of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia is relatively frequent in general population and potentially exposing at risk subject to early vascular aging.