Hippokratia 2003, 7(3):99-107
D Psirropoulos
2nd Dpt Internal Medicine, Hippokratio general Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract
The determination of coronary artery decease (CAD) as a multi factorial in 50’s preceded the determination of its “classic” risk factors in 60’s, such as dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, smoking, obesity, heredity and of course preceded the determination of the newer risk factors, such as coagulation-fibrinolysis factors, endothelium dysfunction, inflammation factors, metabolic syndrome e.t.c. CAD is the first reason for mortality in global scale and this further contributes to the extended effort for understanding its nature and to the certification of its risk factors through epidemiological studies. The lipids disorders and the risk coming from them constitute, in global stage, still the most important aim for these studies. The present study is an effort to write down the studies done in Greece from 1950 and after, having as a main objective the status of lipids disorders. Concerning the Greek reality the most of the studies done either extensive or restricted, were about special sub-groups of the general population, f.e. habitants of specific cities or persons of specific age groups or only males while the most data for the classic risk factors come from the Seven Countries Study which lasted more than 30 years. In spite of some exceptions, periodic repeated tests according the international experiences and demands and especially the corresponding introductions of W.H.O., were not achieved. The gap in the scientific knowledge, concerning the incidence of the CAD risk factors in Greece, still remains wide.