OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among elderly people and to investigate the use of cardiovascular medication in this group. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A quarter in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. METHODS: As a part of the 'Rotterdam elderly study', the cardiovascular anamnesis of 7.983 responding persons > or = 55 years (3105 men and 4878 women) was obtained by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS: Twelve and 4% of men and women, respectively, had at some time had a myocardial infarction, and 5 and 4% a stroke. Almost 7% of both sexes had anamnestic symptoms of angina pectoris. Coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were done in 4% and 1% of men and 1% and 0.5% of women, respectively. Of all participants 43% used at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes. Half of these used two or more, and a quarter used three or more drugs. Among women, diuretics were the most commonly used drug for cardiovascular purposes (21%), whereas among men beta-blocking agents were most common (15%). CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular diseases are common among elderly men and women. Many of them take at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among elderly people and to investigate the use of cardiovascular medication in this group. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A quarter in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. METHODS: As a part of the 'Rotterdam elderly study', the cardiovascular anamnesis of 7.983 responding persons > or = 55 years (3105 men and 4878 women) was obtained by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS: Twelve and 4% of men and women, respectively, had at some time had a myocardial infarction, and 5 and 4% a stroke. Almost 7% of both sexes had anamnestic symptoms of angina pectoris. Coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were done in 4% and 1% of men and 1% and 0.5% of women, respectively. Of all participants 43% used at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes. Half of these used two or more, and a quarter used three or more drugs. Among women, diuretics were the most commonly used drug for cardiovascular purposes (21%), whereas among men beta-blocking agents were most common (15%). CONCLUSION:Cardiovascular diseases are common among elderly men and women. Many of them take at least one drug for cardiovascular purposes.
Authors: Maarten J G Leening; Maryam Kavousi; Jan Heeringa; Frank J A van Rooij; Jolande Verkroost-van Heemst; Jaap W Deckers; Francesco U S Mattace-Raso; Gijsbertus Ziere; Albert Hofman; Bruno H Ch Stricker; Jacqueline C M Witteman Journal: Eur J Epidemiol Date: 2012-03-03 Impact factor: 8.082