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A cross-sectional study of the prevalence and distribution of diabetes among 40- to 69-year olds in Galicia (NW Spain) is presented. A (R)Reflotron system was used to measure the capillary fasting glucaemia in 1275 subjects randomly chosen from the electoral roll, who also answered a short questionnaire and were weighed and measured. The prevalence of diabetes was 7.5% regardless of sex or habitat (urban or rural), and increased significantly with age. These data are in keeping with the scant available information from other parts of Spain and the world in general. The lack of difference between urban and rural habitats was unexpected in view of previously reported dietary differences between both areas.

It has been suggested that a family history positive for coronary heart disease (CHD) increases the risk of CHD. We studied this association to determine the degree of risk, the independence of this association and the presence of interaction of a family history of CHD with the major known risk factors in a law incidence area. One hundred and six hospital cases (85 males and 21 females) of CHD and 106 hospital controls individually matched with each case for sex, age and place of residence (rural–urban) were studied. From every participant, information was collected on their personal and family history of cardiovascular disease and risk factors; height, weight, lipid profile and blood pressure were measured, and an electrocardiogram was recorded. Conditional logistic regression was used in the analysis. The observed odds ratio of patients suffering from CHD among those with, compared to those without, a positive family history of CHD was 4.95 (95. confidence interval = 1.27–19.28) after adjusting for the major known risk factors in each individual and their families (no interaction term remained in the model). The results support the hypothesis that a family history of CHD, acting through mechanisms other than known risk factors or their familial aggregation, is an independent risk factor for CHD even in a low incidence area. No interaction effect was observed between family history and the presence of the three major risk factors of CHD. This should help to identify individuals at greater risk of CHD.

This paper briefly presents the situation of high blood pressure in Spain, both its prevalence in different parts of the country and its relevance as a cardiovascular risk factor and its relationship with demographic characteristics and other not removable risk factors. The association high blood pressure/hypercholesterolemia is discussed in greater detail, offering a multifactorial and quantitative approach of risk factors in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of certain factors of cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents in rural areas of Gallicia.One thousand eight children between the ages of 6 and 15 years selected from three primary schools were studied. Weight, height, blood pressure, serum levels of cholesterol and self admitted consumption of tobacco were determined in each participant.The patterns of body mass, blood pressure and total cholesterol selected to age and sex are very similar to those observed in a great deal of the Spanish and foreign studies. However, the absolute values do not necessarily coincide. The children studied were more obese than those reported in other studies carried out in the rest of Spain with similar values of systolic blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. The levels of cholesterol in this study were within the range observed in other Western countries, lower than those found in other parts of Spain but much higher than the ideal quantities recommended by the WHO. Blood pressure was similar to that of a recent meta-analysis of Spanish studies but much higher than that observed in the Second American Task Force Study. With regard to the use of tobacco, this population demonstrated lower prevalences to those of other Spanish populations. From the age of 14 the consumption of cigarettes greatly increases, especially in boys.Obesity and blood pressure appear to be a more important potential problem than cholesterol among the cardiovascular risk factors considered in the children studied in comparison with populations of a similar age. If prevention plans on the use of tobacco are foreseen in Spain, they should be made before the age of 14 when an important number of children already smoke or have tried cigarettes.

This paper is the written version of the conference that under the same title was presented in the XXX Congreso Nacional de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología. In the paper, the topic of arterial hypertension (AHT) in Spain is approached from different perspectives, as well as to what extend cardiologists influence or are influenced by it. First, there is a brief overview concerning the diagnostic and therapeutic status of AHT in the population, and its evolution in the last years. The paper continues analyzing the research on AHT sponsored by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria in recent years, and emphasizes the little participation of cardiologists as principal investigators in this area. Next, publications in Spanish and international scientific journals are assessed. To end the paper, a proposal of the possible role of the cardiologist on diagnosis, treatment, continued education and research on hypertension is presented.