Lipid and Some Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors Assessment in a Rural Community in Eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Continuous re-evaluation of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (cardiovascular diseases [CVDs]) in developing nations is imperative as it lays foundation for early preventive/intervention measures at grass root level to improve/prevent CVD morbidity and mortality in those nations where health indices still score below the standard. AIM: The aim was to assess CVD risk factors as a continuous re-evaluation of these may underscore the need for early intervention measures at grass root level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 257 apparently healthy inhabitants aged 18-85 years were recruited in a rural community in South Eastern Nigeria by convenient sampling. Blood pressure, waist circumference and blood lipid analysis were done procedurally and data analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. RESULTS: The males were older (59.41 [5.22]) than the females (53.31 [16.90]). 69.2% (133/192) were low level farmers, retirees and dependents. Total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and risk predictive index were higher in females while triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein and very LDL (VLDL) were higher in males. The middle aged and elderly respectively had higher TG and VLDL compared to the young. Aside hypertriglyceridemia, all lipid abnormalities were higher in females than males both singly (high TC: 28.9% [35/121] vs. 16.9% [12/71]; high LDL cholesterol: 52.0% [63/121] vs. 31.0% [22/71]) and in combination hypercholesterolemia with hypertriglyceridemia (42.9% [52/121] vs. 36.6% [26/71]). "Multiple risk factors" also occurred more in females with seeming further increase in older age. CONCLUSION: The chances of a female having CVD after menopause seemed to outweigh that of the male. CVD preventive measures should be focused at the primary/community level as a means to curtailing the increasing morbidity and eventual mortality from CVDs.

Dyslipidemias in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Nnewi South-East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia has been noted to play an integral role in the pathogenesis and progression of micro and macrovascular complications in diabetes mellitus patients. The complications exemplified by renal vascular and cardiovascular disease cause the most morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at understanding the pattern of dyslipidemia among type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 108 consenting adult type 2 diabetic patients seen in the medical unit of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi were evaluated in this crosssectional study. Their fasting lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, weight, height and blood pressure were evaluated. RESULT: The prevalence of dyslipidemia (at least one abnormal lipid profile) was 90.7%. The 24.1% had single dyslipidemia while 66.6% had combined dyslipidemia. Reduced HDL constituted the highest single abnormality (62%) followed by hypertriglyceridemia (56.5%), hypercholesterolemia (53.7%) and high LDL in (44.4%). The duration of DM was not significantly associated with dyslipidemia (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dyslipidemia is highly prevalent among type 2 diabetic patients in Nigeria with the majority of the patients having combined dyslipidemia. We recommend that aggressive treatment of lipidemia and hyperglycemia can be instituted to reduce the risk of macro and microvascular complications.

Prevalence of dyslipidemia among adult diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy in Anambra state south-east Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia has been identified as a risk factor for the development and progression of diabetic renal disease. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia among diabetic patients with overt nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 72 diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy and 36 age- and sex-matched normoalbuminuric diabetic patients were studied. Their fasting lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, and renal function tests were evaluated. RESULTS: Total serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with overt diabetic nephropathy compared to the controls; 66.7% and 62.5% versus 36.1% and 30.6%, respectively ( P = 0.003 and 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy have significant dyslipidemia and aggressive lipid lowering in these patients may retard their progression to end-stage renal disease.