Cardiovascular Health of Filipinos in the United States: A Review of the Literature.
Carol Jean Abesamis, Sharon Fruh, Heather Hall and 2 others
PMID 26243715WHAT IT FOUND
Filipino Americans in the reviewed studies had high rates of hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, often at lower BMI levels.
The review suggests nurses should consider lower BMI thresholds and culturally appropriate education, not weight alone.
Key findings
01In a survey of 1,028 Filipino immigrants, 53% were hypertensive.
02A Kaiser Permanente cohort found 16.1% prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Filipinos.
03Cardiovascular risk factors appeared at BMI as low as 23 to 24.9 kg/m2 in a study of 193 Filipino American women.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This is a review of existing studies, not a new trial, so it cannot show that any advice changes patient outcomes. The review selected 27 studies after 51 met inclusion criteria and presented 17 in tables, so it is not an exhaustive summary of all available evidence. The studies come from different places and designs, including a survey in the Philippines, so the rates may not apply to every Filipino American patient. The diabetes education program with 40 participants reported participation and satisfaction, not any cardiovascular outcome. No method for judging study quality or combining results is described.
Declared interests
The article is listed as supported by N.I.H. extramural funding. Dr. Sharon Fruh declared serving on Novo Nordisk's Clinician's Advisory Board and as a promotional speaker.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a low BMI means a Filipino American patient is not at cardiovascular risk. The review reports cardiovascular risk factors at BMI as low as 23 to 24.9 kg/m2, and it does not test whether screening at these levels improves outcomes.