Evaluation of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors and Risk Stratification: A Study of 200 Asymptomatic Subjects attending Master Health Checkup

INTRODUCTION: The recognition of risk factors for coronary heart disease is one of the major achievements of coronary heart disease epidemiology in the 20th century. Widespread interest in coronary heart disease and its prevention grew from the observation of increased rate of fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction, particularly in men of relatively young age in westernized societies during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s. This led to landmark studies, such as the Framingham heart study initiated in 1948 and including close to 5000 men and women living in town of Framingham, near Boston USA. This cohort study together with several other similar studies, has subsequently demonstrated the importance of a number of risk factors1. A major shift in recent thinking has led to a preference for coronary heart disease risk profiling instead of the diagnosis and treatment of individual risk factors such as elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. By the year 2020, the burden of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease in India will surpass that in other regions of the world2. Hence the current study has been undertaken to assess the coronary heart disease risk profile and stratify the risk of persons attending the master health checkup in our institution. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1. To evaluate the coronary heart disease risk factors of persons attending the Master Health Checkup Clinic of Government Stanley Hospital. 2. To evaluate and stratify the risk according to National cholesterol education programme - Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted at Govt. Stanley Medical College & Hospital, Chennai. This study was conducted during the period of one year Jan 2005 - December 2005, 200 asymptomatic subjects attending the MASTER HEALTH CHECKUP CLINIC of Govt. Stanley Medical college & hospital were taken up for the study. Inclusion Criteria: Men aged ≥45 years and women aged 55 years with no previous history Of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, ...