A comprehensive cross-sectional study identifying awareness of cardiovascular risk factors among staff and spouses participating in the Shiraz cohort heart study

Given the high prevalence of hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus (DM) as risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other chronic conditions in middle and older age, this study was designed to assess the prevalence of these risk factors among a subset of participants in the Shiraz cohort heart study (SCHS). The focus is on staff and spouses of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) involved in the study in Shiraz, Iran. The aim is to determine the prevalence of these risk factors and evaluate their awareness of clinical symptoms that may not be apparent in the early stages of cardiovascular disease. It is hypothesized that some participants might be unaware of their cardiovascular risk factors and the potential impact on their health. This cross-sectional study analyzed data collected starting in 2018 from staff members and their spouses participating in the Shiraz cohort heart study which will go over a 10-year period. A systematic random sampling method, based on the university's list, was employed. Data collection involves questionnaires and participant records, with statistical analysis conducted using SPSS software version 22. Of the 1191 study subjects who participated in the study, 53.6% (638) were males and 46.4% (553) were females and 89.9% (1071) were married. The age range was 25 to 72 years, and their mean and standard deviation of age was 44.29 ± 8.94 years. Among participants, lipid profile abnormalities related to total cholesterol were 37.5% (447), with low density lipids (LDL) 7.6%, (91), high density lipids (HDL) 46.9% (559), and triglycerides (TG) 17.6% (210) respectively. Furthermore, among study participants, hypertension abnormalities were 41.2% (491) with abnormal SBP, 41.8% (498), abnormal DBP, 52.6% (627) abnormal SBP or DBP and 22.3% (265) with both abnormal SBP and DBP. Regarding FBS and DM as risk factors for CVD, 5.4% (64) had abnormal FBS. The study identifies valuable results on the prevalence of elevated blood pressure, abnormally high lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) and high blood sugar that can lead to HTN and DM. Furthermore, a significant proportion of participants were unaware they had abnormal blood pressure. The study also highlights a less-than-optimal adherence to the prescribed medication treatment regimens among people who were aware they had HTN and diabetes, which pinpoints the need for a robust public health campaign to enlighten the populous and assist health authorities in making appropriate screening decisions and interventions to reduce the burden of these types of diseases in the community.