Prevalence of risk factors for stroke and risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among community elderly in urban Shanghai

  Objective  To examine the prevalence of risk factors for stroke and risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among community elderly in an urban area of Shanghai city and to provide the references for the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly.

  Methods  We carried out a questionnaire survey and physical examination among 2 022 permanent residents aged ≥ 60 years selected using cluster random sampling in communities of Yangpu district of Shanghai in April 2016.

  Results  The prevalence rates of major risk factors for stroke among the participants was 9.1% for cigarette smoking, 3.5% for alcohol drinking, 62.8% for hypertension, 15.1% for cardiovascular disease, 17.9% for diabetes, 16.3% for hyperlipidemia, 8.2% for transient ischemic attack (TIA), 4.0% for atrial fibrillation (AF), 2.9% for left ventricular hypertrophy, and 48.0% for overweight or obesity, respectively. Compared to the female participants, the male participants reported significantly higher prevalence rates of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking (both P < 0.01) and lower rates cardiovascular disease and AF (both P < 0.05). The prevalence rate of cigarette smoking, drinking, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and TIA differed significantly by age among the male participants (all P < 0.05) and the prevalence rate of hypertension and cardiovascular disease varied by age among the female participants (both P < 0.05). The average overall score for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease risk was 9.42 ± 2.67 for the male participants and 9.37 ± 2.63 for the female participants, without significant gender difference (P > 0.05) but with a significant between age group difference for both male and female participants (P < 0.01). The proportion of the male and female participants at a high risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease were 47.7% and 48.7%, without significant gender difference (P > 0.05) but with a significant between age group difference (P < 0.01).

  Conclusion  The prevalence rate of major risk factors of stroke is higher among community elderly in Shanghai city and nearly a half of the elderly are at a high risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases; the results suggest that prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should be strengthened in the population.