Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, such as cardiac disease, vascular diseases of the brain and kidney and peripheral arterial diseases. CVDs are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Zambia. A case-control study was conducted among 74 patients suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) at Kitwe Teaching Hospital (KTH) and 74 controls (patients without CVD). All participants completed a questionnaire regarding socio-demographics, risk factors of CVD and Knowledge based questions of CVD. Chi-square test was used to determine significant associations and a result yielding a p value of less than 5% was considered statistically significant. Independent factors associated with development of CVD were established using a Binary Logistic Regression. Unadjusted odds ratio (OR) and Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. The independent risk factors which were significantly associated with the development of CVD were hypertension (OR 59.143, 95% CI 20.122-173.833; AOR 97.289, 95% CI 24.479 -386.662), diabetes mellitus (OR 3.725, 95% CI 1.722 – 8.057; AOR 6.033, 95% CI 1.630 -22.332), family history (OR 2.504, 95% CI 1.242-5.050; AOR 0.862, 95% CI 0.244 -3.041), smoking (OR 1.587, 95% CI 0.731-3.448; AOR 0.746, 95% CI 0.164 -3.403), alcohol consumption (OR 1.387, 95% CI 0.725 -2.654; AOR 3.392, 95% CI 0.833 – 13.823), high blood cholesterol (OR 4.364, 95% CI 0.894 – 21.293; AOR 4.482, 95% CI 0.242- 82.888) and increased age (P value: 0.039). Three factor were significantly associated with reduced risk of developing CVD. These were physical activity (OR 0.575, 95% CI 0.287-1.150; AOR 1.849, 95% CI 0.507 – 6.751), balanced diet (OR 0.890, 95% CI 0.456 – 2.195; AOR 1.451, 95% CI 0.404 – 5.214) and regular weight check and control (OR 0.897, 95% CI 0.471 – 1.710; AOR 0.593, 95% CI 0.177 – 1.990). Interventions such as proper control of hypertension and diabetes pharmacologically or non – pharmacologically, as well as providing health education on life style risk factors that are associated with CVD may significantly reduce morbidity and mortality due to the disease.
Highlights
Non-Communicable Diseases, cardiovascular diseases have become a major public health problem across the world
This study showed that the following factors were independently associated with cardiovascular disease: age, family history of Cardiovascular disease (CVD), smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, lack of physical exercise, lack of balanced diet and inability to control weight
Hypertension and diabetes were associated with increased odds of developing CVDs
Summary
Non-Communicable Diseases, cardiovascular diseases have become a major public health problem across the world. At Kitwe teaching hospital morbidity and mortality due to CVD and hypertension is on the increase. The burden of cardiovascular disease is estimated to be twice as high in Mwanza Josphat and Sichilima Matafwali Alfred: Cardiovascular Diseases and the Common Risk Factors Presented by Patients at Kitwe Teaching Hospital as it was in 1999 with severe negative impact on the economic development [3]. Bandura (2004) noted that Knowledge of health risks and benefits creates the precondition for change [6]. All these studies showed that assessment of common risk factors and patients’ knowledge about CVD is needed for effective CVD treatment and prevention strategies
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