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The British Journal of General Practice logoLink to The British Journal of General Practice
. 2002 Feb;52(475):135–137.

Cardiovascular risk factors and disease in general practice: results of the Nijmegen Cohort Study.

J C Bakx 1, H J M Van den Hoogen 1, W J H M Van den Bosch 1, T Thien 1, C van Weel 1
PMCID: PMC1314233  PMID: 11887878

Abstract

The relationship between risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) was determined using data from the Nijmegen Cohort study, an 18-year prospective study. In 1977, cardiovascular risk factors were measured in 7092 Caucasian males and females from six general practices: age, smoking, serum cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index and a family history of CVD were related to subsequent CVD mortality and morbidity. Most patients had more than one risk factor in particular among men. A significant relationship between risk factors and CVD was demonstrated. In men, a relative risk (RR) of 1.8 was found for both high blood pressure and smokers. A positive family history yielded a RR of 1.8. The risk increased gradually with the number of risk factors; 38% of the group with all risk factors suffered a CVD within 18 years. In women, comparable RRs were found but the low absolute risk of CVD should indicate against the treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.

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Selected References

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