Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Nurses at a Teaching Hospital

Objective: To identify the prevalence of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors related to cardiovascular diseases [CVDs] in the nursing team of a tertiary hospital in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo and suggest preventive practices. Methods: This is a prospective-analytical epidemiological study, of a quantitative nature, carried out on 226 employees, in two stages: collection of self-declared data and measurement of anthropometric data. Results: Risk factors such as family history of CVD (82.7%), alcoholism (57.1%), sedentary lifestyle (49.1%), insufficient sleep time (27.9%), high consumption of processed meals (98.2%) and sugary beverages (81.7%) were observed, among others. From anthropometric data, it was identified that 69.4% of participants are overweight (38.7%) or obese (30.6%) - evidenced by high waist circumference (48.6%) and a high waist-to-hip ratio (64.0%) - in addition to 17.1% who had blood pressure levels indicative of arterial hypertension. The majority reported not having a diagnosis of CVDs (76.1%), however, among those who do, more than half (53.7%) do not treat them properly. Conclusion: It is observed that the prevalence of CVDs is not irrelevant in the group evaluated and that there is the presence of risk factors indicating a tendency for participants to develop new CVDs or worsen existing ones, due to the presence of harmful habits associated with an unhealthy lifestyle and lack of adherence to treatments. This study suggests the implementation of multidisciplinary action programs with employees, so that the main areas identified as deficient are addressed.