Prevalence and Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Selected Communities of Ekiti State, Southwestern Nigeria.

Abstract

Background:  Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been on the increase in the low and middle income countries (LMICs) with increase in the attendant morbidity and mortality. In spite of this, adequate attention has not been paid to cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF). People living in LMICs often do not have the benefit of Primary Health Care programmes for early detection and treatment of the risk factors for CVDs.

Objectives: The study assessed the cardiovascular risk factors among the people in selected communities in Ekiti State, Southwestern Nigeria with view of reducing  cardiovascular disease.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study in which six hundred and twenty six (626) consecutive and consenting participants of age ≥ 18years were interviewed from 6 randomly selected communities in the three senatorial zone of the state.  The parameters obtained were respondents’ socio-demographics and cardiovascular risk factors.   P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of the respondents was 48.4±17.1 years. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk was 64.9%. Being married (AOR, 3.537; 95% C1: 1.244-10.055), widowed (AOR, 4.707; 95% CI: 1.005-22.043), overweight (AOR, 7.636; 95% CI: 2.584- 22.564), obese (AOR, 9.764; 95% CI: 2.984-31.947), stage 1 SBP (AOR, 2.834; 95% CI