The results of a health and lifestyle study involving almost 1,500 people in the Cork and Kerry area show that undetected cardiovascular problems and diabetes are common in the two counties. This confirms a trend indicating that heart disease has reached epidemic proportions in Ireland. The results are being considered by the Department of Health.
The unpublished report of the Cork and Kerry diabetes and heart disease study is the culmination of examinations conducted by 17 doctors in general practice throughout the region between March and August 1998.
The study was a collaborative effort involving the Southern Health Board and UCC, and its findings will be used to plan future preventive strategies. Last week, it was presented to the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin. The report is the first of a series which the Minister will receive from the various health board areas.
Those participating were between the ages of 50-69 years, according to the study co-ordinator, Dr Don Creagh. He said the findings showed that in the age group studied, there was a need for both males and females to pay greater attention to health factors such as blood pressure, glucose levels and cholesterol.
The study confirmed, he added, that Ireland was facing "a cardiovascular disease epidemic at the turn of the century".
The main findings were: four per cent of the population sample had type 2 diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent) and of that figure, 30 per cent were unaware they had the condition; almost half of those studied were overweight and a further 25 per cent met the international criteria for obesity - one of the highest recorded prevalence rates for obesity in a European population sample.
Also, 40 per cent reported minimal levels of physical activity, although half the study group had blood-pressure levels consistent with the international criteria for hypertension. Some 80 per cent of the individuals examined by the doctors had a cholesterol level higher than that recommended for Type 2 diabetes sufferers, and 19 per cent were smokers.
Overall, the study suggested that one in seven of the study group was "at high risk of cardiovascular disease events and requires intensive risk-factor modification". For individuals within the relevant age group, the implications were obvious, Dr Creagh said. Regular check-ups with the doctor should become part of a person's lifestyle, as well as increased exercise and measures aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease.