055 Prevalence and Patient Awareness of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Community-Based Australian Cohort

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia but the burden of modifiable risk factors is incompletely understood. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence and awareness of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes in a large community-based cohort. Between 2011 - 2018, a Heart Health Check Booth established by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute evaluated 23,357 individuals (44% male; aged 18-101 years, mean 52) across Australia by questionnaires, sphygmomanometry, and finger-prick testing for total cholesterol (TC) and blood sugar levels (BSL). 8.2% participants had abnormal blood pressure (BP; >140/90 mmHg), 28.8% had high TC (>5.5 mmol/L) and 7.5% had high non-fasting BSL (>8 mmol/L). In multivariate analysis, all three risk factors were associated with increasing age. Abnormal BP was associated with male gender (p<0.001), high TC (p<0.001), high BSL (p<0.001), and no private health insurance (p<0.003). Abnormal TC was associated with female gender (p<0.001) and rural location (p<0.001). Abnormal BSL was associated with male gender (p<0.001) and metropolitan location (p<0.001). 5.5% of the cohort had 2 or 3 risk factors while 61.5% had no risk factors. 46.6% participants knew their BP, 30% knew TC, and 7.8% knew BSL. Risk factor awareness was greatest in subjects aged 65-74 years, with females having greater awareness of BP. These data suggest that cardiovascular risk factors may be less prevalent than portrayed by Australian Bureau of Statistics. Targeted screening and increased personal awareness of modifiable risk factors need to be incorporated into national heart disease prevention strategies.