Global cardiovascular risk in elderly people linked to community-based physical activity programs

Introduction: Determining the global cardiovascular risk is an important tool in order to establish prevention strategies for cardiovascular diseases, which represent the first cause of death in Cuba. Objective: To determine the global cardiovascular risk in the elderly people linked to the community-based physical activity programs of the Lindo Amanecer proiect, from Arroyo Naranjo municipality. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out. The study's population consisted of 120 elderly people, of whom 106 were interviewed from April to October 2018. Global cardiovascular risk was calculated using the criteria of the World Health Organization's global cardiovascular risk prediction tables. Results: A 91.51% of the studied population was female and those over 70 years old predominated (54.72%). A 47.17% of those surveyed had systolic blood pressure figures higher than or equal to 140 mmHg, and 35.85% had total cholesterol figures above 6 mmol/L. Moderate cardiovascular risk (38.68%) predominated, followed by low risk (35.85%). Conclusions: Low and moderate global cardiovascular risk levels behaved similarly. High systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia were the modifiable risk factors most associated with increased global cardiovascular risk.