Epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors as seen in the referral internal medicine department in Cameroon

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factor are increasing cause of death sub-Sahara Africa. is the term used to describe all pathologies affecting the heart and blood vessels. Data on the epidemiology of CVD in Cameroon are scarce. We aim to study the epidemiology and risk factor of CVD in the internal medicine department of the Douala General Hospital (DGH). Methodology: This was a retrospective, descriptive study over a 10-year period (January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2022). Medical records of all patients aged 18 year or above and admitted in our service for CVD are examined. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristic were collected on a pre-established form. Significance level was set for a p-value < 0.05. Results: out of 16,421 admitted in the service. 1,840 (11.2%) suffered from CVD. This prevalence fell from 11.8% in 2013 to 6.5% in 2022. There was a male predominance (55.1%). The mean age was 60 ± 15 years. Hypertension (65%) was the most common risk factor. The most frequent diseases were ischemic stroke (44.9%), hemorrhagic stroke (20.6%), heart failure (16.9%) and thromboembolic diseases (8.3%). Conclusion: CVD and risk factors constitute the major public health problem in our context, and hypertension is the most common risk factor. In a context of limited resources, efforts must be focused on primary prevention. Keywords: epidemiology, cardiovascular disease, Douala General Hospital, Cameroon.