Prevalence of coronary heart disease risk factors in Nigerians with systemic hypertension

This study is to determine the prevalence of coronary heart disease risk factors in Nigerians with systemic hypertension. Serum lipid profile and fasting blood glucose were determined in one hundred and thirty six newly diagnosed hypertensives selected from the Medical Outpatient Department. Basic demographic data as well as medico-social history was extracted from the records. Coronary heart disease risk was calculated from the ratios of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol. High risk were defined as CHD ratio <0.18, while average and low CHD risk ratio was 0.18 to 0.40 and >0.40 respectively, according to the European Athersclerosis society guidelines. There were 76 (55.9%) males and 60 (44.1 %) females aged 24-70 years (mean = 47+8.5) studied. The coronary risk ratio in the study groupts was 0.34 as against 0.57 in the controls. The prevalence of high coronary heart disease risk in newly diagnosed hypertensives was 22%. The overall prevalence rate of hypercholesterolaemia was 62.5%, with high-risk group prevalence of 70%. The high-risk group was also associated with other non-lipid factors such as overweight -54% (BMI > 25Kg/m2), glucose intolerance-55% (FBS > 6.1 mmol/L), and alcoholism (55%). The overall prevalence of hypertriglyceridaemia was 20.4%, with higher serum values amongst females, and no risk group difference. The female patients were more affected by the metabolic risk parameters especially in the high and average risk groups. There is a need therefore, for clinicians to be encouraged to investigate lipid, lipoprotein cholesterol indices and other non-lipid risk factors to calculate the risk run by hypertensive patients of developing cardiovascular complications.