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ABSTRACT
Introduction: The non-transmissible chronic illnesses generate high costs not only to
the health system and the social welfare, due to mortality and premature disability,
but also to the society, the families and the people with such illnesses. Amongst
these diseases, the cardiovascular ones are distinguished as the main cause of
morbid-mortality of the Brazilian population, being the systemic arterial hypertension
as the key factor of expressive risk. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify
the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular illness in a group of hypertense
people belonging to a Family Health Unit. Casuistry and method: The group for this
study consists of resident citizens in the area of scope of the Basic Family Health
Unit Luiz Fogliatto, in Ijuí/RS. The sample was constituted by 130 selected citizens of
systematically chosen people among those with medical diagnosis of systemic
hypertension, aging above 20 years old. The collection of data was planned in
stages: the first one aimed at knowing the target group for the study and selecting the
samples; in the second one, visits for interview and physical examination were
carried through, and subsequently the laboratorial examinations were done. The
variables were: socio-demographic data, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors,
course of the illness, knowledge concerning the pathology and its complications, and
adhesion to the treatment. Results: It was observed that the group was of low social,
economic and literacy condition. They aged on average 60,3 ± 11,50 years, with
average systolic blood pressure of 144,6 ± 24,7 mmHg and 86,8 diastolic blood
pressure ± 17.1 mmHg. Out of the total number of participants, 5.4% had their levels
of normal pressure under control; 32.3% were in situation of daily pre-hypertension;
37.7% and 24.6% were hypertense people (stage of hypertension 1 and 2). Among
the modulating risk factors, obesity, stress and dislipidemic were of higher
prevalence. Besides, amongst the sedentary, smokers and diabetic ones, there was
greater prevalence of hypertension resulting complications. Between the sedentary,
diabetic and the obese people there was a greater frequency of cardiovascular
events. An association between risk factors, age, stages of arterial pressure and
income, with p< 0,05 indicating cardiovascular risk having correlation with PAS, age
and HDL (p<0,05) and with IMC (p<0,01) was verified. In relation to adhesion to the
treatment, it was checked that the number of citizens that adhered to the
pharmacological treatment was low, and although the basic health system has
available medication, there is little knowledge about the illness. Conclusion: The
citizens of the study, despite being under treatment in a family health unit, present
high potential to be victims of cardiovascular events, considering the lack of control of
the levels of arterial pressure and important association of cardiovascular risk factors,
specially modulating factors that must be handled in the correct way, considering
individual, social and economic aspects of the target group.
Key words: Cardiovascular illnesses. Systemic high blood pressure. Modulating risk
factor. Family health unit.