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The prevalence of systolic and diastolic arterial hypertension (AH) was studied on a material of random representative samples of male population aged 20-54 years in the cities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg [correction of Sankt-Peterburg], Tallinn, Kiev, Novosibirsk, Alma-Ata, Tashkent and Bishkek. AH was estimated in connection with risk factors (RF) from the standpoint of uni- and multidimensional statistical analysis. It has been established that RF (age, cholesterol and triglycerides concentration, overweight and alcohol use) make more significant contribution into the prevalence of diastolic AH whereas the systolic AH prevalence is largely determined only by age and education. The data obtained are likely to form the basis for the design of a more integral system of prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases.

A comparative study of hypercholesterolemia and lipid distribution in males aged 20-54 randomly selected in one of the districts of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Kiev, Novosibirsk, Tashkent, Alma-Ata and Bishkek has been performed. A comparative interpopulation analysis involved mean values of blood lipid spectrum: total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLPC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLPC). TC, TG, LDLPC in blood were higher in European region and Siberia than in Middle Asia populations. These findings correlated with hypercholesterolemia prevalence. An average of 50% of European population studied need preventive treatment for hypercholesterolemia.

Data obtained from a cross-sectional population study of men aged 20-54 years and results of a morphological epidemiological examination of the aorta and coronary arteries of 507 men aged 20-59 years, deceased from various causes in the city of Tallinn, were analysed to find whether there is a relationship between the prevalence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), its risk factors and morphological features of atherosclerosis. An association has been found between the development of clinical IHD manifestations with age, extent of morphological signs of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta and coronary arteries, and occurrence of hypercholesterolaemia. Estonian men showed more marked changes in lipid indicators and greater extent of morphological signs of atherosclerosis than men of other nationalities; this corresponds to the more atherogenic character of the former's diet. However, Estonian men did not differ from other nationalities in the occurrence of IHD and expected death risk--a finding the authors explain by the lower percentage of smokers among Estonians.

A random sample of males aged 30-54, females aged 30-54, and schoolchildren aged 10-14 years who live in Tallinn underwent a cross-sectional epidemiological study. A total of 4149 individuals were examined. The adults and children showed different atherogenic changes in lipid parameters, the former displayed high blood pressures, whereas the Estonian children had higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and diastolic blood pressure. The Estonian males had more pronounced atherogenic shifts of lipid parameters, low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, while the Russians smoked more cigarettes. The Russian females had higher blood pressures and body weight index than the Estonian ones. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that body weight was the most common correlate of blood pressure and lipid levels both for children and adults.

In a single study of the female population aged 35-54 years in the city of Tallinn no significant differences in the blood lipoprotein pattern for the nationality (Estonian--Russian) and the phase of menstrual cycle in women with normal ovarian function were found. On the other hand, in comparison with those with a normal menstrual cycle postmenopausal women showed significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerols and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. For studies of risk factor prevalence of non-communicable diseases among female population, it is recommended, to identify women with menstrual cycle disturbance since their higher percentages could bias the results.

The blood plasma lipoprotein profile was studied in a representative random sample of the male population in Tallinn, comprising 2292 men aged 20-54 years. 42.8% of the sample were of Estonian and 43.4% of Russian nationality. Mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the Tallinn males were found to be higher, and HDL lipoprotein level lower than those revealed in a random sample of the Moscow male population. These atherogenous features of the plasma lipoprotein profile were especially pronounced in men of Estonian nationality. The authors assume that these differences might be due to the genetic and ethnic peculiarities of the Estonian population.

The informative value of various lipid indicators and indexes in healthy subjects and in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is compared. In 10 investigated biochemical indicators significant differences were found between healthy people and subjects with epidemiological or clinical signs of IHD. The first places in the order according to Anderson-Bahadur intervals were held by the cholesterol atherogenity index, total cholesterol (CS) and the percent of high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-CS) in total CS. The cholesterol atherogenity index and HDL-CS percent in total CS were closely correlated with the severity of angiographically proved changes in the coronary arteries.

Nutrition of 908 males aged 20-54 years, living in Tallinn, was studied in simultaneous population investigation by the method of one-day questioning. It was found that subjects with excessive body mass (EBM) and coronary heart disease (CHD), who did not keep to a diet, reduced their ration calorific value, consumption of saturated fatty acids, sugar, and increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and food fibres. No relations were detected between nutrition and CHD risk factors in the majority of subjects during the simultaneous population investigation. It has been suggested that subjects with EBM and CHD changed their nutrition habits due to the distribution of information among the population on the important role of nutrition in the development of EBM and atherosclerosis.

In a simultaneous epidemiological examination according to the standard programme of 20% of a random sample of unorganized males aged 35-59 years and living in Tallin (n = 2208), coronary heart disease (CHD) was established in 12.1%, its incidence increasing with age. 66.1% of the individuals with detected CHD were not aware of the disease, 28.7% had not visited the local out-patient centre previously. The prevalence of the major risk factors in the population was 80.7%; 38.6% of the subjects had two risk factors or more. Some risk factors were found to correlate with age, the nature of occupation and the educational level. The individuals with CHD more frequently showed arterial hypertension, excessive body weight and lipid metabolism disorders and less commonly the absence of risk factors as compared with individuals without this pathology. The study may serve as an informative basis of planning measures for primary and secondary prophylaxis of CHD in the population at the greatest risk, i. e. males aged 35-59 years.

Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured in 40- to 59-year-old males from Moscow, Tallinn, a mountain village in the Caucasus and settlements in the Chukotka. Mean values, and 10th and 90th percentiles were determined for each of the populations examined. The Moscow and Tallinn populations were found to be similar biochemically and differ from rural populations. Dyslipoproteinemias were more atherogenic in urban residents, as compared to their rural counterparts. It is suggested that dyslipoproteinemias have geographic and ethnic determinants that may contribute to the degree of atherogeny implicit in any type of lipid metabolic disorders.

Actual nutrition and its association with risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied in a population of males aged 50-54 years living in Tallinn, as a whole and with regard to their nationality. Imbalance, as well as difference in the nutrition of the Estonians and Russians have been revealed. The incidence rate of CHD is directly associated with the total fat consumption; arterial hypertension is associated with alcohol intake; excessive body weight--with low consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUSFA), low ratios of PUSFA and saturated fatty acids (SFA), and with high protein consumption. Inverse relationship of cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDLP) content with fat consumption, and direct relationship with other complex carbohydrates have been recorded. Triglyceride content is directly related with the consumption of fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates, and inversely related with PUSFA consumption, cholesterol content is in inverse relationship with starch consumption.