The magnitude of abdominal adiposity and atherogenic dyslipidemia among geriatric Nigerians with arterial hypertension in a rural hospital in South-eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: As the case detection rate of arterial hypertension increases daily in rural Nigeria, screening for its associated abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia is an important healthcare challenge. Of great concern in rural Nigeria is that most geriatric hypertensives with abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia are not routinely diagnosed and therefore do not receive appropriate management. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at describing the magnitude (prevalence and pattern) of abdominal adiposity using waist circumference (WC) index and dyslipidemia among geriatric Nigerians with arterial hypertension in a rural hospital in South-eastern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive hospital-based study was carried out from June 2008 to June 2011 on 122 consecutive geriatric patients with systemic hypertension who met the selection criteria at St. Vincent De Paul Hospital, Amurie-Omanze, a rural Mission General Hospital in Imo state. Abdominal obesity was defined as WC ≥102 cm and ≥88 cm for men and women, respectively. Dyslipidemia was defined using the third report of National Cholesterol Education Panel in adult (ATP III). The data collected included basic demographic variables, blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting lipid profile, and blood sugar. RESULTS: The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 50.8% and was the most common pattern of abdominal adiposity. Fifty-four (44.3%) out of 122 patients had at least one dyslipidemia with the most frequent being low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, 38.5%). There was statistically significant difference between male and female gender based on abdominal adiposity (X 2 = 5.406, P value = 0.04) while their mean lipid differentials were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that abdominal adiposity and dyslipidemia exist among geriatric hypertensives in the study area with abdominal obesity being the most common abdominal adiposity and low HDL-C being the most frequent lipid abnormality. This study therefore urges the necessity to consider abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia in geriatric hypertensives in rural Nigeria alongside the complex of other cardiovascular risk factors.

Common geriatric emergencies in a rural hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Geriatric population in rural Nigeria is often challenged by emergency health conditions that predispose them to higher risk of disability and mortality. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at describing the common geriatric emergencies in a rural hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive hospital-based study of 216 geriatric patients who presented between June 2008 and June 2011 with emergency health conditions at St Vincent De Paul hospital, Amurie-Omanze, a rural Mission General Hospital in Imo state, South-Eastern Nigeria. The geriatric patients seen within the study period who met the selection criteria were studied. Data extracted for analysis included biodata and diagnosis made. RESULTS: A total of 216 geriatric emergencies were seen during the study period. The ages of the patients ranged from 65 years to 98 years with mean age of 72 ± 1.14 years. There were 94 males and 122 females with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.3. The three most common causes of geriatric emergencies were acute malaria (33.8%), hypertensive crises syndrome (19.0%), and acute hypertensive heart failure (18.1%). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that the three most common geriatric emergencies were medical emergencies (acute malaria, hypertensive crises syndrome, and acute hypertensive heart failure). Improving the quality of geriatric medical care will help in reduction of these emergency medical conditions. Similarly, health education of the geriatric population to embrace early health-seeking behavior, health maintenance, and promotional practices that are needed to promote longevity is invariably advocated.