The Magnitude of Atherogenic Dyslipidaemia among Geriatric Nigerians with Systemic Hypertension in a Rural Hospital in Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The relevance of dyslipidaemia in the management of cardiovascular diseases especially hypertension is an important health care challenge that is increasing worldwide. Of great concern in Nigeria is that most geriatric hypertensives with dylipidaemia are not routinely diagnosed and therefore do not receive appropriate treatment.

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at describing the magnitude (prevalence and pattern) of atherogenic dyslipidaemia among geriatric Nigerians with systemic hypertension in a rural hospital in Eastern Nigeria.

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. The fasting lipid profile was determined by enzymatic method. Dyslipidaemia was defined using the third report of National Cholesterol Education Panel in adult (ATP III). The data collected included age and sex.

RESULTS: Fifty-four (44.3%) out of 122 patients had at least one dyslipidaemia. The age of the patients ranged from 65 years to 91 years with mean age of 69±2.10 years. There were 51(41.8%) males and 71(58.2) females with male to female ratio of 1: 1.4. The commonest lipid abnormality was low high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (38.5%). Others included high low density cholesterol (23.8%), high total cholesterol (17.2%) and high triglyceride (14.8%).

CONCLUSION: This study has shown that dyslipidaemia exist among geriatric hypertensives in the study area with low HDL-C being the most frequent lipid abnormality suggesting that low HDL may be the major form of dyslipidaemia and a marker of dyslipidaemic cardiometabolic risk among them. Screening for dyslipidaemia should therefore form an important part of clinical care of geriatric hypertensives and those with dyslipidaemia should become target for lipid lowering treatment in addition to lifestyle modification.

KEY WORDS: Hypertension, Geriatrics, Dyslipidaemia, Prevalence, Pattern, Rural, Hospital, Nigeria.