Aim:

Design and validate an instrument to survey el cardiovascular disease´s risk factors in the population of the city of Cartago.

Introduction:

Epidemiological surveillance is a steady and continuous process of observation and researching of the morbidity and mortality and its risk factors for analyzing, interpreting and using the information. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in most countries in the world, being required to survey its risk factors.

Methods:

Based on a strategy of mesurement and comprehensive analysis of most cardiovascular risk factors, it was designed and validated a method for its surveillance.

Results:

The method has been employed in 6 companies, 13 primary and secundary schools, 13 communities and 13 institutions and associations, suming a total of 2949 people. It was obtained the following: 69.3% sedentary lifestyle, 59.4% obesity, 52.4% relatives cardiovascular disease, 46.2% diagnosed diabetes, hypertension and/or elevated colesterol, 39.65% stress, 29.5% hypertension at the moment of the survey, 31.0% high total colesterol at the moment of the survey, 17% smoking, 2.7% high blood glucose level and 0.2% a previous cardiovascular event.

Discussion:

Epidemiological surveillance is basic for promoting health and avoiding cardiovascular disease. The challenge is to count on a low cost, good reliability and high users and colaborators acceptance methodology.

The method has allowed to mesure and assess the cardiovascular risk factors, satisfying properly the guidelines mentioned above.

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