Background and Objective. Cardiovascular diseases are primary causes of death worldwide with well documented risk factors whose varying impacts added to the complexity in CVD management dictate the need for region-specific studies. We aimed at investigating the interactions between CVD risk factors and hypertension in Ngaoundéré. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from March to August 2014. Sociodemographic, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and anthropometric data were recorded. Statistical analyses were carried out using SAS software version 9.1. Results. 700 adults resident in Ngaoundéré for at least two years consented and were included in the survey. Abdominal obesity, physical inactivity, and hypertension were the dominant risk factors recording 51.1%, 35.4%, and 20.4%, respectively. The prevalence of hyperglycaemia, tobacco consumption, obesity, and alcohol consumption was 5.6%, 8.3%, 9.6%, and 18.1%, respectively. Advanced age, hyperglycaemia, a divorced marital status, and alcohol consumption were independent determinants of high blood pressure. Conclusion. Physical inactivity, abdominal obesity, and hypertension were the most prevalent CVD risk factors, and the role of advanced age and hyperglycaemia in the occurrence of high blood pressure was reiterated. Health programs need to focus on effective screening, prevention, and control of CVDs in the Adamawa Region and Cameroon at large.

Specific cardiovascular risk factors are known to contribute to increasing cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic renal disease. However, little is known about their distribution in our population. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of anaemia, inflammation, and phosphocalcium disorders in Cameroonian patients on dialysis. Thirty-five participants with stage V chronic kidney disease (defined by glomerular filtration rate, GFR < 15 mL/1.73 m3) of age at least 20 years on haemodialysis were randomly recruited. A control group composed of persons without a history of renal or cardiovascular disease was also recruited. Haemoglobin concentration, serum phosphate concentration, serum calcium concentration, and CRP status as a marker of inflammation were determined for all participants. Anaemia, phosphocalcium metabolic disorders, and a positive CRP result among haemodialysed patients were estimated at 94.3%, 61.6%, and 77.1%, respectively. Anaemia was diagnosed in all female patients compared to 92% in males, while a positive CRP result was recorded in 90% of females and 72% of males. No significant differences were observed on the distribution of studied specific cardiovascular risk factors with duration of dialysis. Among the factors studied, anaemia was the most encountered.

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Background/Aim: The two-way cause and effect relationship existing between high blood pressure and kidney dysfunction is currently a well-documented phenomenon with patients in either category being almost equally predisposed to the other pathology. Our goal was to assess the renal function capacity of hypertensive patients in our setting. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study involved the determination of blood pressure levels and the collection of blood and urine samples for the measurement of renal function markers. Hypertensive patients who came for medical follow-up constituted the study participants, and were enrolled consecutively into the study from February to May 2015. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and significant differences were determined at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of elevated creatinine and urea levels were 35 and 27%. Eighty percent of the participants had a decreased glomerular filtration rate (≤90 mL/min/1.73 m³), with at least 36% recording less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m³. Proteinuria and glucosuria were recorded in 15% and 8% of the participants, respectively. The mean diastolic pressure was observed to be significantly higher in participants with proteinuria (p = 0.016), and participants' weight directly correlated with systolic blood pressure (p = 0.015). Furthermore, the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was relatively lower in participants >60 years compared to those <60 years (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Renal function is often perturbed in hypertensive patients, and good blood pressure control may reduce the progression of renal impairment. Thus, a systematic evaluation of renal function in addition to blood pressure control in hypertensive patients is indispensable towards effectively reducing the occurrence of renal events and preventing end-stage renal disease.

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Dyslipidemias are possible debilitating outcomes of diabetes and important predictors of cardiovascular disease risk in diabetic patients. We carried out a cross-sectional, case control study from April to July 2014 at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital involving 90 patients: 45 diabetics (10 type 1 and 35 type 2) and 45 non-diabetics with the aim of characterizing and comparing the lipid profile between type 1 and type 2 diabetics of northern Cameroon. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were obtained, and a fasting blood sample collected per patient on which blood sugar level and lipid profile were determined. Data analysis was performed using R Version 2.13.0 and the French version of Epi Info 7, with the level of significance set at 5%. Following threshold standards according to ANAES, the mean triglyceride level was significantly higher in type 2 diabetics (212.65±49.34 mg/dL) compared to type 1 diabetics (101.60±52.64 mg/dL) and controls (152.24±57.91 mg/dL) (p<0.0014). The mean low density lipoprotein (LDLc) was observed to be significantly higher in type 1 (136.78± 33.88 mg/dL) compared to type 2 (113.29 ± 38.00 mg/dL) diabetics and controls (94.62 ± 51.31 mg/dL) (P = 0.017), and likewise the median high density lipoprotein (HDLc) of type I, type II, and non-diabetics corresponding to 11.5, 47 and 56 mg/dl respectively were significantly different (p<0.0001). Furthermore, mixed hyperlipidemia was absent among the type 1 diabetics but more prevalent in type 2 diabetics (37.1 %) compared to controls (6.7%). According to the D’Agostino (Framingham) model, 37.1% of type II diabetics and 6.8 % of non-diabetics had a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease in 10 years, and the difference here was statistically significant (p=0.001). Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics originating from northern Cameroon are very prone to dyslipidemias and thus highly predisposed to cardiovascular diseases.Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences (2015) 4(3), 18-24Keywords: Diabetes, Lipid Profile, Cardiovascular disease risk, Northern Cameroon

To determine the distribution of conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors in hemodialyzed patients in a novel Cameroonian regional hemodialysis center. Methods: This was cross-sectional study carried out at the hemodialysis center of the Garoua Regional Hospital during the period April to August 2014. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric and biochemical data were assessed. Results: Our sample population constituted 35 patients with stage V chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis. Among them, 74.3% were physically inactive while 22.9% and 2.9% presented with alcohol and tobacco consumption, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemias, overweight and obesity were estimated at 91.4%, 22.9%, 85.7%, 25.7% and 14.8%, respectively. There was a significant difference between men and women concerning the mean values of diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.036) and HDL cholesterol (p = 0.024). Moreover, the mean systolic (P = 0.028) and diastolic (P = 0.005) blood pressures were significantly highest in patients with less than a year of hemodialysis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that dyslipidemias and other cardiovascular disease risk factors frequently occur in hemodialyzed patients in our setting.

Objective: To assess the level of awareness and adherence of patients to dietary recommendations in the management of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs). Methods:This cross-sectional study included CVD patients on medical visits at the cardiology unit of Ngaoundere Regional Hospital. Well informed and consenting participants filled a pre-tested questionnaire on dietary knowledge and practice.Results: 129 patients were retained in this study out of 151 enrolled. 58.9% of participants knew that the consumption of vegetables is beneficial for their status. Fruit consumption recorded the same level of awareness. All other dietary variables studied revealed less than 50% level of awareness among participants. Concerning recommended dietary practices, 73.64% of participants consumed oils rich in saturated fatty acids. Meat and fish consumption were recorded at 62.01% and 65.12% respectively, with a 94.57% preference to red meat consumption. Almost 19.38% of the study population consumed eggs more than 3 times per week, 31.78% and 41.09% consumed vegetables and fruits at least thrice and twice a week respectively. The overall mean adherence to the studied cardiovascular disease dietary recommendations was 38.31%, with only fish, vegetable and tea/coffee recommendations recording adherences of 50% and above. Conclusion:The findings demonstrate a low level of awareness and adherence to dietary recommendations in the management of CVDs, thus the need for the strengthening of health promotion programs and improvement of the nutritional advices in our context.