Primary Prevenve Medicaon use and Risk of Atheroscleroc Cardiovascular Diseases Among Paents with Hypertension and Diabetes Aending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Atheroscleroc cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) constute a significant health burden in Nigeria. Aspirin and Stan though  effecve, are not rounely used as primary prevenve medicaon in those with increased risk of CVD. The study aimed to determine the  associaon between the use of primary prevenve medicaon (low-dose soluble aspirin and stan) on the risk of atheroscleroc cardiovascular  diseases among paents with hypertension and diabetes aending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Nigeria. 

Methodology:  This was a descripve cross-seconal study of 394 systemacally selected adult paents aged 18 years and above, vising the GOPD, who had  hypertension or diabetes mellitus. Data was collected using a pretested quesonnaire and the Cardiovascular risk was assessed using the  Framingham 10-year Risk of General Cardiovascular Disease Score (FRS). Respondents were categorised as low risk (< 10%), intermediate  risk (10 to 20%), and high risk (> 20%). Data were entered into an Excel worksheet (2007) and analysed with Stata version 16. 

Results: The  mean age of parcipants was 53.95±15.47 years. They were mostly females (55.3%), and civil servants (32.74%) with terary educaon  (44.67%). The majority of the paents (42%) had a high risk of developing CVD in 10 years. There was a significant associaon between  intake of aspirin (p=0.01 AOR 18.98, CI: 2.61-137.91) and stan (p=0.01 AOR 5.02, CI: 0.48-56.00) and reduced risk of CVD. 

Conclusion: There  was a high risk of developing CVD among the study parcipants. The use of low-dose aspirin/stan for primary prevenon of CVD was  associated with risk reducon with those not on low-dose aspirin and stan having a 6 and 14-fold increased risk of developing CVD  respecvely. Roune prescripon of low-dose aspirin and/or stans is recommended for paents with hypertension and/or diabetes except  those in whom the medicaons are contraindicated.