279 Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in coronary patients from the Sahel region of Tunisia

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in the western countries at the same time they are beginning to appear with increasing frequency in developing countries. With the epidemiological transition phenomenon, Tunisia is now facing the growing prevalence of chronic diseases. The Tunisian epidemiological data on cardiovascular disease in the hospital environment are scare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and their association in patients in Sahel (Tunisia), hospitalised for coronary disease in coronary care units at Sahloul and Farhat Hached (Sousse), fattouma Bourguiba (Monastir) and Tahar Sfar (Mahdia) hospitals, over the period 1994–1998. The clinical features of 4138 patients (71.9% men with a mean age of 60.5 years, 2039 myocardial infarction, 2099 unstable angina) on hospital admission were analysed. The prevalence of smoking was 57.7%, with a statistically significant difference between men (78.7%) and women (2.5%). The prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure 140/90 mmHg) was 38.4%. There is a statically significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension (p<0.001) between men (30%) and women (60.1%). The prevalence of diabetes (glycemia > 1.26 g/l) was 44.9%. The prevalence was higher in women (55.3%) than in men (40.8%, p<0.001). The prevalence of obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2) (24.8%) was higher in women (30.2%) than in men (22.7%), p<0.001. The prevalence of dyslipidemia (CT > 2.5 g/l and/or TG >1.5 g/l) was 37.2%. The percentage was higher in women (39.5%) than in men (36.2%). Twenty six percent of the patients had one cardiovascular risk factor, 30% had two, 21.6% had three factors and 10% had four or more factors. With this risk factor profile a national strategy of primary prevention and heart promotion is needed in Tunisia.