RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in South African rural communities is well reported. However, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) leading to hospital admission and related in-hospital mortality in rural and semi-rural hospitals is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of hospital records for patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine at Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elisabeth, South Africa between 1 April and 31 October 2016. The study focused on patients who received a primary diagnosis of CVD. RESULTS: During the seven-month study period, 4 884 patients were admitted to the unit, 1 325 of whom received a primary diagnosis of CVD, giving a prevalence of 27%. Patients with CVD had a mean (standard deviation) age of 60 (± 15) years, 32% of this patient population was younger than 55 years and 65% were female. Furthermore, 94% had a background medical history of systemic hypertension and 30% of diabetes mellitus. The three leading cardiovascular causes of hospital admission were stroke (38%), hypertensive heart disease plus heart failure (33%), and hypertensive emergency/urgency (18%). In-hospital outcome: 12.4% of patients admitted for CVD died during the index hospitalisation and strokes were responsible for 70% of the deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CVD in this cohort was high and accounted for significant morbidity and mortality. Systemic hypertension was a leading risk factor in our cohort and we need to intensify efforts to diagnose and treat systemic hypertension.