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Cardiovascular disease patients have increased risk for comorbidity: A cross-sectional study in the Netherlands
Candan Kendir1, Marjan van den Akker2,3, Rein Vos4,5
1a Department of Family Medicine , Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine , Izmir , Turkey.
Insights
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) affect one in four patients, increasing the risk of other chronic conditions. This study highlights the prevalence and associations of CVD comorbidities in primary care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Comorbidity significantly increases mortality, reduces quality of life, and escalates healthcare utilization.
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are leading causes of non-communicable disease deaths globally, often presenting with high comorbidity burdens.
- Effective evaluation of patients with comorbidities is crucial for healthcare providers, especially in primary care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their comorbidities across various sociodemographic groups.
- To identify and analyze the associations between different CVDs and co-occurring comorbidities.
Main Methods:
- A large-scale, cross-sectional study involving 67,786 patients.
- Data were sourced from the Registration Network Family Practices (RegistratieNet Huisartspraktijken, RNH).
- Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and logistic regression to examine comorbidity patterns.
Main Results:
- 26.5% of patients had at least one CVD diagnosis; 10.5% had two or more.
- Strongest CVD-CVD association: heart failure and arrhythmias (OR: 9.20).
- Significant associations found between coronary artery disease/hypertension and diabetes/lipid metabolism disorders; cerebrovascular diseases showed strong links with epilepsy and arrhythmias.
Conclusions:
- Approximately one in four patients experiences at least one cardiovascular disease.
- The presence of one CVD elevates the risk of developing additional, co-occurring CVDs.
- Comorbidity with CVD is associated with a higher burden of other chronic diseases.
Background:
Comorbidity is a cause of increased mortality, decreased quality of life and increased use of healthcare services. It is important particularly for physicians and other healthcare providers in primary care settings to evaluate these patients properly. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most common cause of death from non-communicable diseases worldwide and are characterized by a high level of comorbidities.
Objectives:
To address the distribution of CVDs and comorbidities across sociodemographic groups and associations between CVDs and comorbidities.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data of 67 786 patients. Data were collected by the Registration Network Family Practices (RegistratieNet Huisartspraktijken, RNH). Comorbidities were analysed using chi-square and logistic regression analyses.
Results:
At the time of study, 26.5% of the patients had at least one CVD and 10.5% of patients had two or more CVD diagnoses. The strongest association within cardiovascular diseases were between health failure and arrhythmias (OR: 9.20; 95%CI: 7.78-10.89). Coronary artery disease and hypertension had strong relationship with diabetes (OR: 2.22; 95%CI: 2.02-2.45, OR: 2.22; 95%CI: 2.02-2.45 respectively) and lipid metabolism disorders (OR: 2.04; 95%CI: 1.87-2.23, OR: 2.04; 95%CI: 1.87-2.23, respectively). The strongest associations for cerebrovascular diseases were with epilepsy (OR: 4.09; 95%CI: 3.29-5.10) and arrhythmias (OR: 2.23; 95%CI: 1.99-2.50).
Conclusion:
One out of every four patients suffered from at least one CVD. Having one CVD increased the risk of another, co-occurring CVD and a higher number of other chronic diseases.
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