Lipid profile of healthy adult Nigerians in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
(2006)
Journal - Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (Nigeria )
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidaemia is a major cardiovascular risk factor for coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension and stroke. It is thought that serum cholesterol levels are low in Nigerians as shown by results of a population survey done over twenty years ago. In addition the last national non communicable disease survey recorded a low prevalence of Hyperlipidaemia (4.0%) in Nigeria. With increasing urbanisation and socioeconomic improvement, changing population dynamics is expected to influence disease pattern and noncommunicable diseases are expected to rise. Thus there is a need to screen healthy adults for their lipid pattern in Port Harcourt a city with high population dynamics where such studies have not been previously reported. METHOD: A prospective descriptive population survey was carried out among healthy adults residing in Port Harcourt. A total of ninety two adults were screened after obtaining informed consent. Weight, height, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and fasting lipid profile were measured. Results were analysed using simple statistical methods. RESULTS: A total of ninety two subjects were recruited into the study. Fourty seven (51.1%) of the subjects were males while fourty five (48.9%) were females. The age range of subjects was 24-59 years with mean of 38.84 +/- 8.36 years. The mean BMI was 28.76 +/- 5.91 Kg/m2. There was no significant statistical difference between the mean BMI for males and females. The mean fasting blood sugar, mean total cholesterol and mean LDL cholesterol were 4.45 +/- 0.89 mmol/L, 4.76 +/- 1.06 mmol/L and 3.65 +/- 0.89 mmol/L. The mean total triglyceride was 1.02 +/- 0.30 mmol/L while the mean HDL was 0.90 +/- 0.25 mmol/L. There was an increase in total cholesterol with increasing age and an increase in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol with increasing social class. Subjects with total cholesterol above 6.5 mmol/L constituted 31.52% of study subjects. Subjects with BMI between 25-29 Kg/m2 made up 43.48% of subjects while 33.69% of subjects had BMI above 30 Kg/m2. CONCLUSION: A high mean total and LDL cholesterol values were observed among healthy adults in Port Harcourt. The prevalence of obesity was also found to be high. There is a need for public health action to address these findings especially as high serum cholesterol levels have a direct correlation with coronary artery disease. Further large scale urban survey of non communicable diseases in the country is therefore necessary at this time.
| ISSN : | 1115-2613 |
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| Mesh Heading : | Adult Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Dyslipidemias Female Humans Male Middle Aged Nigeria Obesity Prospective Studies Socioeconomic Factors Triglycerides epidemiology epidemiology |
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| Mesh Heading Relevant : | Health Surveys analysis analysis epidemiology analysis |
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Addison's disease presenting as acute chest syndrome: case report and review of literature.
(2006)
Journal - Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (Nigeria )
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: Addison's disease is due to primary adrenal failure. It is an uncommon condition with equal prevalence in both males and females. The onset of symptoms is gradual and manifestation is non specific, hence diagnosis is easily missed without a high index of suspicion. METHODS: The medical records of a patient who presented with acute chest pain to the cardiac unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital were reviewed. A review of the literature using manual library and Medline search on Addison's disease was also done. RESULT: A 48 years old male presented in our medical outpatient department with a three day history of sudden onset of severe precordial chest pain that started while playing football which was associated with nausea, vomiting and difficulty in breathing. After initial clinical evaluation a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and cardiac failure with a suspicion of background Addison's disease was made. Serial electrocardiography done over a two week period did not show evidence of myocardial infarction, but the patient had elevated serum ACTH and very low serum cortisol levels. An abdominal CT scan done two weeks after admission showed absence of the Adrenal glands bilaterally, confirming Addison's disease. He received treatment for cardiac failure, analgesics, prednisolone and a mineralocorticoid to which he responded satisfactorily and has remained healthy. He also received a six months course of antituberculous treatment empirically. CONCLUSION: Addison's disease is an uncommon endocrine disorder which can present insidiously in a non specific manner. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion.
| ISSN : | 1115-2613 |
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| Mesh Heading : | Acute Disease Addison Disease Chest Pain Diagnosis, Differential Humans Male Middle Aged Mineralocorticoids Prednisolone drug therapy physiopathology drug therapy physiopathology diagnostic use therapeutic use therapeutic use |
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| Mesh Heading Relevant : | diagnosis diagnosis |
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Drug compliance among hypertensive patients in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
(2005)
Journal - Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (Nigeria )
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: Hypertension contributes significantly to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Adequate blood pressure control would therefore reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, however adequate blood pressure control requires good treatment compliance. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients aged 30-79 years attending the cardiac clinic of the medical out-patients clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital were directly questioned about compliance with their antihypertensive drugs and results entered into the questionnaire designed for the study. RESULTS: Compliance was good in sixty percent (60%) of respondents, fair in twenty nine percent (29%) and poor in eleven percent (11%). Compliance was also found to be good in sixty-seven percent (67%) of patients with tertiary education, good in forty one percent (41%) of those with primary education. Compliance was good in seventy four percent (74%) of those taking one drug, good in only thirty three percent (33%) of those taking four drugs. Patients taking single daily dose drugs had good compliance in seventy percent (70%), twice daily dosing had good compliance in fifty five percent (55%) and among those taking thrice daily dosage, compliance was good in only seventeen percent (17%). CONCLUSION: The study shows that good compliance with anti-hypertensive therapy is best achieved with monotherapy given as single dosage. It also shows the role of education in the level of compliance.
| ISSN : | 1115-2613 |
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| Mesh Heading : | Adult Age Distribution Aged Ambulatory Care Antihypertensive Agents Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory Cohort Studies Developing Countries Female Hospitals, University Humans Hypertension Incidence Male Middle Aged Nigeria Patient Compliance Probability Questionnaires Risk Assessment Sex Distribution Survival Rate diagnosis epidemiology |
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| Mesh Heading Relevant : | Attitude to Health therapeutic use drug therapy statistics & numerical data |
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