Objectives: Shift work results in changing worker’s behavior, food, and sleep patterns, which can cause circadian rhythm disturbance, which is a cardiovascular risk. Until now, a biomarker of early prediction of cardiovascular risk on shift workers is still not developed. This study aimed to assess the cardiovascular risk of shift worker nurses by detecting endothelial microparticles (EMPs). Methods: This longitudinal study compared six shift nurses and five non-shift nurses by measuring the EMPs using antigen CD31+ flow cytometry. All met the inclusion criteria consisting of 28 blood samples followed in one week shift. Results: EMPs among non-shift nurses were below 200 μL. However, shift nurses’ EMPs increased above 200 μL with Man-Whitney U p = 0.000 on days 4 and 7 following a one shift per week schedule. Conclusion There was an increase in shift workers’ endothelial microparticles (EMP) which was a sign of cardio-vascular risk.
Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Nurses

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of deaths among adults in the Philippines, and this is true also among older persons aged 60 years and above. Identification of risk factors and diseases that lead to cardiovascular mortality among the elderly is important to have an impact on longevity. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and specific cardiovascular risk factors among older persons in the Philippines. Methods: A cross sectional design was used, with data taken from the results of the 8th Philippine National Nutrition Survey (NNS) Clinical and Health Survey done in 2013. Although there is a more recent survey, only the 2013 data is complete and available for secondary analyses. Results: There were 1,835 older persons who were participants in the 8th Philippine NNS who had complete clinical data. The prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome was 52.6% in this population with the distribution of the components as follows: 33.5% have elevated waist circumference; 59.25 had elevated BP >130/85 mm Hg; 30.1% had fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL (includes prediabetes and diabetes); 63% have low HDL, and 39% have elevated triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL. The results for other cardiovascular diseases and risk factors are as follows: 44% had hypertension using the criterion of the JNC VII report (BP ≥140/90 mm Hg); 85% had LDL cholesterol ≥100 mg/dL; 31% are current alcohol drinkers; 22% are current smokers; 53.7% have low physical activity; and 82% have an unhealthy diet. Conclusions Fifty-two percent (52%) of older Filipinos have metabolic syndrome and have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, foremost of which are elevated LDL-cholesterol at 85%, hypertension at 44% based on JNC VII, approximately 10% with diabetes mellitus, but with a double burden of overweight/obesity and undernutrition. This data can help plan for public health approaches to improve quality of life and increase longevity of Filipinos.
Metabolic Syndrome ; Heart Disease Risk Factors

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune inflammatory arthritis of unknown etiology. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major problem for these patients. This paper aims to describe the presence of cardiovascular risk factors among filipino patients with rheumatoid arthritis seen in the Philippine General Hospital Rheumatology outpatient department. This will also serve as a baseline database for patients with cardiovascular risk factors for future studies on the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Objective: to describe the presence of cardiovascular risk factors among filipino patients with rheumatoid arthritis seen in the Philippine General Hospital Rheumatology outpatient department included in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Database and Registry (RADAR) Methods: Cases entered in the study were taken from the RADAR. Included patients were those worked up for traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Demographic data, traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors and management for RA and CVD were extracted. Descriptive statistics were applied. This study is approved by the Institutional Review Board. Results: Ninety eight patients were included in this study. Ninety four percent were female with mean age at diagnosis of 49.95±10.17 (SD) years and mean disease duration of 63.01 months. For traditional cardiovascular risk factors: 18% were smokers; 34% (24/71) were obese; mean BMI was 23.85±4.60 (SD) kg/m2; 39% (38/98) had hypertension of which 87% were on antihypertensive medication; 19% has impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or diabetes and 55% had dyslipidemia but only 53% and 33% were on oral hypoglycemic agents and statins, respectively. For non-traditional CV or diseaserelated risk factors, 20% still had high disease activity and 65% had elevated sedimentation rate (mean 45.58±18.36 (SD) mm/hr) on latest consult. Eighty seven percent were taking methotrexate but only three percent were on biologic agents. Conclusion This study shows the presence of important traditional risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity in this population. Significantly, more than half the cases have dyslipidemia. In addition, RA disease activity was high to moderate. The combination of traditional and disease related risk factors for cardiovascular disease is ominous and warrants aggressive treatment. In addition, patient education and weight control should be emphasized. It is recommended that this cohort be followed up prospectively.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Heart Disease Risk Factors

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of deaths among adults in the Philippines, and this is true also among older persons aged 60 years and above. Identification of risk factors and diseases that lead to cardiovascular mortality among the elderly is important to have an impact on longevity. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and specific cardiovascular risk factors among older persons in the Philippines. Methods: A cross sectional design was used, with data taken from the results of the 8th Philippine National Nutrition Survey (NNS) Clinical and Health Survey done in 2013. Although there is a more recent survey, only the 2013 data is complete and available for secondary analyses. Results: There were 1,835 older persons who were participants in the 8th Philippine NNS who had complete clinical data. The prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome was 52.6% in this population with the distribution of the components as follows: 33.5% have elevated waist circumference; 59.25 had elevated BP >130/85 mm Hg; 30.1% had fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL (includes prediabetes and diabetes); 63% have low HDL, and 39% have elevated triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL. The results for other cardiovascular diseases and risk factors are as follows: 44% had hypertension using the criterion of the JNC VII report (BP ≥140/90 mm Hg); 85% had LDL cholesterol ≥100 mg/dL; 31% are current alcohol drinkers; 22% are current smokers; 53.7% have low physical activity; and 82% have an unhealthy diet. Conclusions Fifty-two percent (52%) of older Filipinos have metabolic syndrome and have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, foremost of which are elevated LDL-cholesterol at 85%, hypertension at 44% based on JNC VII, approximately 10% with diabetes mellitus, but with a double burden of overweight/obesity and undernutrition. This data can help plan for public health approaches to improve quality of life and increase longevity of Filipinos.
Metabolic Syndrome ; Heart Disease Risk Factors

Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Risk Factors ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Coronary Disease/etiology* ; Heart Disease Risk Factors

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both genders worldwide. Gender differences in clinical presentation and treatment have been reported. Objective: This study aims to describe and compare the cardiovascular risk factors and management strategies for primary prevention among Filipinos. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was done on 2,082 patients at the Preventive Cardiology Clinic of a tertiary referral center in Quezon City, Philippines from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2017. Results: Seventy-two percent of the patients were females with a higher mean age compared to males (57.67 + 10.50 vs 55.66 + 11.82, p 0.002). There were more women who were unemployed (75.2 vs 45.9, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension (68.6% vs 67.9%, p=0.542) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (19.8% vs 21.5%, p=0.437) in both genders. Beta blockers (24.1%), calcium channel blockers (22.9%) and angiotensin receptor blockers (22.1%) were the most commonly prescribed anti-hypertensive drugs. Biguanides were the most commonly prescribed glucose-lowering drug (11.3%). Compared to men, more women had dyslipidemia (51.8% vs 38.6%, p<0.001). Statins were more commonly prescribed in women (22.4 vs 18.1%, p=0.033). Conclusion There were significantly more women seen in our Preventive Cardiology clinic. Smoking and alcoholic drinking were higher in males. BMI, total cholesterol and HDL were significantly higher in females than in males.
Sex Characteristics ; Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Primary Prevention ; Preventive Medicine

Diabetes remains as the 6th leading cause of death in the Philippines, with more than 33,000 deaths in 2016. Given this alarming prevalence, it is imperative that this public health concern be prioritized in the country and to answer such concern, a group of cardiologists and endocrinologists who are in active clinical practice and research, formed a technical working group composed of five members. Their primary objective was to develop an evidence-based consensus document for Filipino healthcare practitioners and people in the academe that would serve as a guideline on the approach to lower the CV risk of individuals with T2DM. The TWG agreed on focusing with the pharmacological approach to treatment of lowering CV risk for T2DM patients using the ADAPTE model which is a more systematic approach to guideline adaptation. The recommendations were developed using the ADAPTE framework appraising all international practice guidelines and recommendations through to 2013. The technical working group’s overall objective of guideline adaptation is to take advantage of the existing guidelines to enhance the efficient production and use of high-quality adapted guidelines specially in the local Philippine setting. Each of these articles was then assessed using the AGREE instrument. Based on the key questions that the technical working group had identified regarding the approach to lower the risk of individuals with type 2 diabetes, 9 recommendations concerning the antidiabetic drug of choice for persons with type 2 diabetes with or without established ASCVD and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia were drafted and are presented in this report.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Heart Disease Risk Factors

Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Risk Factors

Cardiovascular Diseases ; Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Humans ; Psoriasis/drug therapy* ; Risk Factors

Cardiovascular risk assessment is a basic tenet of the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Conventional risk assessment models require measurements of blood pressure, blood lipids, and other health-related information prior to assessment of risk via regression models. Compared with traditional approaches, fundus photograph-based cardiovascular risk assessment using artificial intelligence (AI) technology is novel, and has the advantages of immediacy, non-invasiveness, easy performance, and low cost. The Health Risk Assessment and Control Committee of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, in collaboration with the Chinese Society of Cardiology and the Society of Health Examination, invited multi-disciplinary experts to form a panel to develop the present consensus, which includes relevant theories, progress in research, and requirements for AI model development, as well as applicable scenarios, applicable subjects, assessment processes, and other issues associated with applying AI technology to assess cardiovascular risk based on fundus photographs. A consensus was reached after multiple careful discussions on the relevant research, and the needs of the health management industry in China and abroad, in order to guide the development and promotion of this new technology.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Heart Disease Risk Factors