Iran Journal of Nursing

Introduction
Nursing is a key position in the healthcare system, and nurses are the largest group in the health system, accounting for approximately 59% of all health workers worldwide. Therefore, paying attention to the health of this group is of particular importance for the proper functioning of the health system. Although it is expected that nurses experience fewer disease risk factors and better health compared to the general population due to their awareness and knowledge, studies have revealed that they are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which can reduce job efficiency and increase the cost burden on the healthcare systems. Work-related factors are effective in the triggering of behavioral and metabolic risk factors for CVDs. Therefore, considering that the health of nurses is considered one of the basic principles of the health system in any society and given the lack of information about the risk factors of CVDs in Iranian nurses, the present study aimed to investigate some risk factors for CVDs in nurses working in a private hospital in Tehran, Iran. 

Methods
This is a descriptive study. Participants were 148 nurses (56 males and 92 females) working at Nikan Hospital in Tehran in 2023 who participated voluntarily in the study. 
The inclusion criteria were: no signs of infection in the past two weeks, no ongoing treatment for chronic diseases or unawareness of health problems, no medical treatment or dietary regimen, and willingness to participate in the study. Non-fasting status or self-reported use of lipid-lowering or glucose-lowering medications within the past 24 hours led to exclusion from the study. Based on these criteria, four females and two males were excluded from the study, and finally 142 nurses underwent health status monitoring.
After explaining the study objectives and methods, their demographic information (including demographic and medical history) was recorded, and their height and weight were measured. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to the standards of the international society for the advancement of kinanthropometry (ISAK) using a wall-mounted stadiometer and a Beurer Model a Beurer digital scale Model BF180, Beurer GmbH, Ulm, Germany digital scale. Subsequently, systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the brachial artery were measured using a digital blood pressure monitor (Model CH-456, Citizen Systems Japan Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) digital blood pressure monitor, following standard protocols after a 5-minute rest. Systolic/diastolic blood pressure <120/80 mmHg was considered normal blood pressure, between 120/80 and 139/89 mmHg as prehypertension, and ≥140/90 mmHg as hypertension. To ensure complete rest, participants were asked to sit quietly on a chair for five minutes with their arm resting on the armrest at heart level before performing measurements. Finally, fasting blood samples were collected (after a 12-hour overnight fast) to measure fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). An FBS level <100 mg/dL was considered normal, between 100 and 119 mg/dL as prediabetes, and >120 mg/dL as diabetes. After collection, the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software, version 24.

Results
BMI findings showed that approximately 48% of nurses were overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity was 1.7 times higher in females than in males. Also, more than half of females (56.8%) and males (68.5%) had prehypertension/hypertension. The mean diastolic blood pressure in females (80 mmHg) was higher than in males (78 mmHg). Based on the FBS levels, 41.8% of males and 35.2% of females were in the prediabetes/diabetes stages.
The mean TC values (162.33 mg/dL), TG (97.46 mg/dL), HDL (43.82 mg/dL), and LDL (87.98 mg/dL) all fell within normal ranges. All lipid profile indicators, except for TC, were higher in women compared to men. Abnormal cholesterol levels were higher in men (13%) than in women (11.4%).

Conclusions
This study revealed a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among nurses, despite their health education and awareness. Nearly half of nurses were overweight or obese, and many showed elevated blood pressure or prediabetes. Gender differences were observed, women having higher obesity and blood lipid levels. These findings highlight the need for workplace health programs, regular monitoring, and lifestyle interventions to reduce metabolic risks. Improving nurses’ work conditions and conducting future interventional studies could enhance both staff well-being and healthcare quality

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shahed University (Code: IR.SHAHED.REC.1402.072).

Funding
This article was extracted from a master’s thesis, funded byShahed University.

Authors' contributions
Conceptualization, implementation, and data collection: Ahmadreza Heydarnia and Ali Samadi; Design and supervision: Ali Samadi and Maryam Khalesi; Data analysis, original draft preparation, review & editing: All authors.

Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments
 The authors would like to thank all participants and the management and nurses of Nikan Hospital for their assistance in conducting this research.



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