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Cardiovascular Risk among People Living with HIV in Ghana
Sylvester Chinbuah1,2, Ebenezer Kofi Mensah2, Sylvester Onumah3
1Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Cardiovascular risk is elevated in people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Ghana, with dyslipidemia and hypertension being common. The study highlights the need for improved cardiovascular health management in this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant concern for people living with HIV (PLHIV).
- HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) contribute to increased CVD risk factors.
- Assessing CVD risk in PLHIV is crucial, especially in resource-limited settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the 10-year cardiovascular risk among PLHIV in Ghana's Western Region.
- To identify prevalent CVD risk factors within this population.
- To compare different methods of cardiovascular risk assessment.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cross-sectional study design was employed.
- Data was collected from medical records of PLHIV in urban and rural hospitals.
- The Framingham Risk Score (FRS), both lab-based and BMI-based, was utilized to estimate 10-year CVD risk.
Main Results:
- 322 PLHIV were included; 76.1% were female, and 37% were aged 36-45.
- Prevalent risk factors included dyslipidemia (28%), hypertension (26.3%), and diabetes (19.3%).
- High cardiovascular risk was identified in 5.9% (lab-based FRS) and 12.1% (BMI-based FRS); employment and religion were significant factors.
Conclusions:
- Cardiovascular disease poses a growing threat to PLHIV, influenced by HIV and ART.
- Findings underscore the importance of managing CVD risk factors in PLHIV.
- This study offers a model for addressing comorbidities in resource-limited settings.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease is a growing concern among people living with HIV (PLHIV) due to various risk factors and the long-term effects of HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to assess the cardiovascular risk among PLHIV in the Western Region of Ghana in 2022.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed to estimate cardiovascular risk among PLHIV in Ghana's Western Region in 2022. Data from medical records was collected from an urban and a rural hospital. The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) was used to estimate 10-year cardiovascular risk. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, correlation between lab-based FRS and body mass index (BMI)-based FRS, health characteristics by settlement type and factors associated with High FRS were analysed.
Results:
A total of 322 PLHIV was enrolled for this study, with a majority being female (76.1%) and aged 36-45 years (37.0%). Prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were dyslipidemia (28%), hypertension (26.3%), and diabetes (19.3%), while obesity (7.5%) and smoking (2.2%) were less prevalent. The lab-based FRS categorized 5.9% of participants as having a high cardiovascular risk. In comparison, the BMI-based FRS classified 12.1% in the high-risk category. There was a significant correlation between the lab-based FRS and BMI-based FRS. Employment status and religion were significant factors associated with cardiovascular risk.
Conclusion:
Cardiovascular diseases is a growing concern among PLHIV due to various risk factors and the long-term effects of HIV and ART. The findings of this study could contribute to improve cardiovascular health outcomes in PLHIV and provide a model for addressing comorbidities in resource-limited settings.
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