Assessment of modifiable risk factors and vascular wall stiffness in young people

Objective: to study the characteristics of vascular stiffness in young people, taking into account the presence of the main modifiable risk factors (FR) for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Materials and methods: a survey was conducted of 38 practically healthy young people (18 boys, 20 girls) — university students, whose average age was 19.8±1.45 years. By filling in the modified diagnostic charts, the subjects assessed the presence of the main behavioral CVD disorders. Volumetric sphygmography on the VaSera-1000 device (Fukuda Denschi, Japan) was used to assess the stiffness of the main vessels and blood pressure (BP) levels in the basins of the upper and lower extremities. Results: in the examined individuals, despite their young age and the documented absence of cardio-vascular pathology, all the main cardiovascular diseases were revealed: an increased body mass index (BMI≥25 kg/m2), smoking, psychosocial factors, sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet, alcohol consumption, which were present in various combinations. Vascular stiffness indices — the cardio-ankle index and the biological age of the vessels — were within the normal range, while the ankle-shoulder index was reduced in 24% of the students. Conclusion: the results obtained indicate the need for primary prevention of CVD by lifestyle modification, even in young people, since the FR detected in them and the tendency to change vascular stiffness indicators can subsequently act as triggers for the early onset of diseases of the circulatory system