Russian immigrant cardiovascular risk assessment

Immigration from the former Soviet Union has been increasing. In 1990, ther e were 454,000 Russian immigrants living in the United States. Lifestyle ha bits prevalent in Russia, including smoking, alcoholism, and little prevent ive health, are compelling medical and economic reasons to understand the h ealth status of this population. This study identified a cohort of Russian- born subjects living in Denver to characterize their cardiovascular risk pr ofile. Using a risk assessment questionnaire, 204 Russian immigrants were s creened. Seventy-one percent had Medicaid insurance; 14 percent were medica lly indigent. Those aged 55 to 64 years had a higher prevalence of hyperlip idemia (p < 0.04) and hypertension (p < 0.03) than U.S. counterparts; those age 20 to 34 and 65 to 74 years had a higher prevalence of hypertension (p < 0.00001). Almost half oft he participants had two or more cardiac risk f actors. Cardiac risk factor identification and intervention programs may he lp to reduce the health care costs for these patients.