270513 Analysis of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Wellness-Fitness Program for Career Firefighters

Monday, October 29, 2012

Dana Drew-Nord, PhD, RN, APRN, BC , School of Nursing, Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Stephen Nord, MD , Premier COMP Medical Group, Inc., Pleasanton, CA
OiSaeng Hong, PhD, RN, FAAN , School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Background: Sudden cardiac death remains the primary cause of on-duty death among career firefighters in the United States. Previous research has established that many of these deaths are contributed to by underlying cardiovascular disease. Methods: 109 male career firefighters participated in a Wellness-Fitness program over 11 years which included annual physical exams, laboratory testing, physical examination, and maximal or sub-maximal stress treadmills. Body mass index (BMI), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol, high density (HDL) and low density cholesterol (LDL), cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and METs achieved was analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling to determine if there was any change within individuals, or within the group, over the 11-year period. Results: Negative findings were that BMI and DBP increased slightly over the period. Neutral findings were that triglycerides, HDL, cholesterol ratios, and sub-maximal estimated METs remained unchanged. Positive findings were that SBP, total cholesterol, and LDL decreased and estimated maximal METs increased. Time and age were the most influential with the exception of total cholesterol and LDL which were significantly influenced by the use of statins. Conclusion: The program implemented did facilitate improvement of cardiovascular risk factors, especially in terms of total cholesterol, LDL, SBP, and maximal exercise treadmill METs. The cardiovascular risk profile of this group did not worsen over the eight years of intervention. As cardiovascular disease has significant latency throughout the lifespan it will be critical to continue to assess risk factors and any cardiovascular events for further determination of the program's efficacy

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Occupational health and safety
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Evaluate if there was any change in cardiovascular risk factors in career firefighters during an 11 year sustained Wellness-Fitness program. 2. Identify which cardiovascular risk factors improved, remained the same, or worsened over an 11 year sustained Wellness Fitness program.

Keywords: Wellness, Cardiorespiratory

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator of this study. I have done extensive research with career firefighters, their cardiovascular risks and risk profiles, and the Wellness-Fitness Initiative. I have administered the Wellness-Fitness program to more than 400 firefightesr over an 11 year time perod.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.