New software tools for evaluation of epidemiological studies

Atherosclerosis is a complex, multi-factorial process. It develops over many years without clinical manifestations. Many factors positively or negatively affect its development. The primary prevention strategy involves modification of the so-called risk factors (RF) in those individuals without clinical signs of the disease and covers two approaches. The aim of the population approach is to influence the whole population, especially by changing their life-styles and habits. In the Czech Republic, we have not succeeded in promoting recommendations aimed at decreasing the occurrence and values of atherosclerosis RFs. Therefore, the effort of physicians concentrates more on the detection of people with high risk of atherosclerosis and on influencing their life-style and habits. This study concentrates on detecting and influencing people with a high risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the objectives of the study are as follows: to determine the prevalence of atherosclerosis RFs in the urban population of middle-aged men; to follow up the development of the RFs and to assess the possibilities and the influence of complex intervention on the incidence and the values of the RFs and on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in this population; and to detect coronary artery disease non-invasively by means of body-surface potential mapping (BSPM).