ISSN 2996-8215
International Journal of Cardiology | Vol. 3, No. 2, February 2012 | pp. 9–16
DOI: 10.46882/2012/IJC/000035
Original Research Article
Cardiovascular Risk Factor Profiling and Prevalence of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in an Asymptomatic Urban West African Population
Chidi O. Okafor¹, Babajide A. Adebayo¹, Funmilayo K. Balogun²
¹Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
²Division of Cardiology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract:
The burden of cardiovascular disease is rising rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa due to urbanization and epidemiological shifts. However, data detailing the prevalence of subclinical macrovascular disease in native African populations remain sparse. This cross-sectional study evaluated cardiovascular risk profiles and estimated the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis using carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements in an asymptomatic adult urban population. We evaluated 350 asymptomatic civil servants aged 30 to 70 years residing in Lagos, Nigeria. Traditional risk factors were analyzed via laboratory and anthropometric profiling. High-resolution B-mode ultrasound quantified CIMT; subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as a CIMT greater than or equal to 0.9 mm or the presence of a distinct carotid plaque. The prevalence of hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and impaired fasting glucose was 42.3%, 28.6%, 34.1%, and 11.4%, respectively. Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis was identified in 54 participants (15.4%), with discrete plaques found in 4.3% of the cohort. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that advanced age (odds ratio: 1.08 per year, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (odds ratio: 1.04 per mmHg, p = 0.01), and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio: 1.32 per mmol/L, p = 0.03) were independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Subclinical atherosclerosis is highly prevalent among asymptomatic urban West African adults, driven primarily by high rates of undetected or poorly controlled traditional risk factors like hypertension and dyslipidemia. This underscores the need for robust primary prevention initiatives.
Keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors, Subclinical atherosclerosis, Carotid intima-media thickness, Urban health, West Africa, Primary prevention
Received: November 04, 2011; Revised: December 19, 2011; Accepted: January 11, 2012; Published: February 15, 2012
Citation: International Journal of Cardiology, 2012, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 9–16, DOI: 10.46882/2012/IJC/000035