CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS ASSESSMENT AMONG DIABETIC AND HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS IN MOROCCO

Abstract

Objective: This study, the first field survey in one prefecture in the Eastern of Moroccocontributes by description of the distribution and characteristics of CVD risk factorsusing multiple cardiovascular risk assessment among hypertensive and diabeticssubjects.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was done in over 11 localities from urban andrural areas in one prefecture from January to December 2017 screen CVD risk factors;obesity, blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, pharmacological treatment andothers. Gaziano algorithms were used to calculate probabilities for the next 5-years offatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events.

Results: The sample consisted of 244 patients with a mean age 60.64 ± 12.90 yearsand predominantly women (58.19%). Hypertensive subjects consisted of 105 with lowlevel of education (15.23%) received their pharmacological treatment 90.48% but only35.25 percent had optimal blood pressure. The frequency of obesity was 7.61%affecting more men than women and 36.19% of them had positive family history fordiabetes and/or hypertension. Among all hypertensive subjects, 51.42% wereconsidered at high cardiovascular risk for both fatal and non-fatal events. The group ofdiabetic participants consisted of 139 most of them illiterate (69.07%) and 21.58% hadhigh blood pressure touching more men than women (25.86% vs 18.51%). The obesity(7.19%) was more frequent in rural areas than urban areas and only 30.21 % of themwere found following physical activity. Examining the cardiac risk show that 55.39% ofall diabetics were at high cardiovascular risk, exposing men more than women (63.63%vs 42.62%).

Conclusion: CVD risk factors assessment represent a strategic tool to prevent and facethese epidemic, and although the kingdom of Morocco has launched national strategyto reduce and face chronic diseases, the results of our study indicate that diabetic andhypertensive patients have high prevalence of CVD risk factors which exposed them tohigh cardiovascular risk.