TITLE:
Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Three Andean Countries: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis 2000-2017
AUTHORS:
Juan Moreira, Patricia Ortiz, Roberto Sempertegui, Mariella Anselmi, Karen Pesse, Edison Jaramillo, Oscar Betancourt, Gianni Tognoni
KEYWORDS:
Cardiovascular, Hypertension, Risk Factors
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Vol.9 No.10,
October
15,
2019
ABSTRACT: Background and Objective: A systematic review of the epidemiology of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity and smoking in three Latin American countries was carried out. Reliability and local representativeness of this information is fundamental for tailoring non-communicable disease control strategies to the context. Materials and Methods: Electronic databases and gray literature were searched for descriptive and cross-sectional population studies reporting prevalence of the above-mentioned risk factors in populations aged over 18 years in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, published between January 2000 and December 2017. Results: 29 articles, which together included a population of 38,271 individuals, were incorporated in the synthesis. A pooled prevalence was obtained foreach risk factor: smoking in men 37.60% [31.56 - 43.63] was the most frequent risk factor, followed by hypercholesterolemia 26.45% [18.89 - 34.02] and obesity in women 25.53% [19.78 - 31.29]. The Global prevalence of hypertension was 19.54% [15.34 - 23.74], similar for men and women (23.11; 23.26 respectively). Conclusions: Estimated pooled prevalence for the main cardiovascular risk factors is high and similar to the ones reported by international estimates, especially for hypertension and obesity. Estimated prevalence of diabetes was lowerthan the previously reported whereas for smoking it was higher. Although prevalence can be a useful indicator for monitoring the epidemiological situation of NCCD in a country, other indicators, especiallythose allowing visualizing the results of interventions at local level are needed.