CORONARY HEART-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED FORMER TOP-LEVEL ATHLETES

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the impact of previ ous athleticism on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors in 168 mi ddle-aged men and 147 middle-aged women in Estonia. Participants were divided into four groups: physically active ex-athletes (AA), sedentar y ex-athletes (SA), recreational exercisers (RE), and non-exercisers ( NE). The Sharkey's questionnaire was applied to determine the CHD risk factors, health habits, medical, safety, personal, psychological and women's risk factors scores. Anthropometric characteristics, resting s ystolic and diastolic blood pressure values (SBP, DBP), and physical w orking capacity (PWC170) were measured. Concentrations of total choles terol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triacylgly cerols (TG), and glucose were determined. Low-density lipoprotein chol esterol (LDL-C) and HDL-C/CHOL ratio were computed. From the questionn aire results, significant differences in CHD risk scores in both sex g roups in favour of AA and RE were found. DBP in men was significantly higher in SA, and SEP in women was significantly higher in NE in compa rison with other groups. PWC170 and PWC170/kg was highest in AA and lo west in NE in both sex groups. There were no significant differences f or blood biochemical parameters between women's groups. In men, AA had a lower CHOL level in comparison with SA and NE, and lower concentrat ions of TG and LDL-C than other groups. AA and RE had a higher HDL-C c oncentration and HDL-C/CHOL ratio in comparison with the other groups. In conclusion, differences in CHD risk factors were related to curren t physical activity, and were more expressed in men than in women.