Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness on high BP and temporary increasing screening for hypertension worldwide. We here provide the results of the 2017 MMM (MMM17) edition in Cameroon. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2017 nationwide. BP measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. The campaign was advertised through various media and screening stations were set-up in local markets, churches, and outpatient departments of health facilities. In all, 16 093 individuals were screened during MMM17, of whom 4595 (29.2%) had hypertension. A total of 2742 (19.8%) of individuals not receiving anti-hypertensive medication were found to be hypertensive. Of those on medication, 1048 (57.2%) had uncontrolled BP. After adjusting for age, sex, and use of BP lowing medications, systolic and diastolic BPs were significantly higher in people on anti-hypertensive treatment, with higher waist circumference. MMM17 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Cameroon, and although treatment and control rates are higher than previously reported, they are still well below optimum levels. MMM has highlighted the need for routine population-based surveys and suggests that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers with raised BP.
The multi-country May Measurement Month (MMM) screening campaign aims to raise awareness on blood pressure (BP) and hypertension in individuals and communities, and measure BP, ideally, of those who had no BP measurement in the preceding year. We here report key findings from the Cameroon arm of MMM 2019. An opportunistic sample of adults (≥18 years) was included from 5 May to 5 June 2019 across 15 sites (markets, churches, homes, motor parks, workplaces, and hospitals/clinics). Data collection, cleaning, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis followed the standard protocol. The mean age of the 30 187 participants screened was 36.9 (SD: 14.9) years, 50.4% were female (5% of whom were pregnant), and 94.4% were screened out of the hospital/clinic settings. After multiple imputation of missing data, 6286 (20.8%) had hypertension, 24.0% were taking antihypertensive medication, and 705 (11.2%) of all participants with hypertension had controlled BP. In linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, and antihypertensive medicines use, a previous diagnosis of hypertension, a history of stroke, and use of antihypertensive medicines were significant predictors of systolic and diastolic BP levels. BPs were also significantly higher when measured in public outdoors, public indoors (diastolic BP only), workplaces, and other unspecified areas compared to hospitals/clinic settings. MMM19 is the largest ever BP screening campaign in a single month, in Cameroon and despite the limitations resulting from non-random sample selection, the opportunistic screening allows access to awareness and screening for hypertension out of the hospital/clinic settings.
The prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease have been increasing in sub Saharan Africa for the last past twenty years. One of the most common manifestations of cardiovascular disease is stroke. Very few studies have addressed the major causes of ischemic stroke in this region. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of significant extra cranial carotid stenosis in a population of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Patients and methods:we conducted a prospective study at the University Hospital Centre of Yaoundé from January 2013 to October 2013. We included all consenting patients with acute onset of neurological deficit with a CT scan of the head showing an ischemic stroke. We excluded all patients with hemorrhagic stroke on CT scan, or who did not have a head CT scan. The study was approved by the National ethics committee.Results: During that period, 35 patients met the criteria for acute ischemic stroke from which 51.4% were women with a sex ratio of 0.94. The mean age in this series was 66.6 years. Thirty five patients over 76 had an ischemic stroke on the CT scan, with a prevalence of 46%. Hypertension was present in 21 (60%) cases and it was a major risk factor. Only 3 patients had a carotid stenosis between 50-75%, there was no patient with a stenosis above 75%. Elevated cholesterol was found in 3.3% of patients while 30 (86%) patients had an abnormal electrocardiogram: 9 patients were found to have a tachyarrhythmia and 6 atrial fibrillation. There was no intracardiac clot even though the echocardiogram was abnormal in 26 (77%) patients. Concerning the CT scan of the head results, hypo densities were found in 26 (74.3%) patients and the CT was normal in 9 (9.9%) patients with a sudden neurological deficit. Conclusion:From this pilot study, we have found that carotid stenosis in association with hypercholesterolemia and arteriosclerosis may not be a major risk factor for ischemic stroke in our environment, while age, hypertension and arrhythmia are the most important risk factors for this disease in Cameroon. Further and larger study is needed to confirm this preliminary finding.
Introduction: The Behcet's disease is deemed to be scarce in Black Africa where data are still scattered. The purpose of our study is to describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinic and evolutive particularities of the patients whose presenting symptoms of the Behcet's diseases were a venous thrombosis. Patients and Methods: It was a descriptive, multicenter, and cross-sectional study lasting 15 months. We brought together all the cases of the Behcet's disease revealed by venous thrombosis. The diagnosis was based on clinical criteria of the international group of study of the Behcet's disease in 2007. Results: We have grouped 10 revealing thrombosis cases of the Behcet's diseases during our study period. The average age was 34. The average wait period between the appearances of the early symptoms and the diagnosis of the very disease was 30 months. The admission motives were the abdominal pain (2 cases), a thrombophlebitis of the lower limb (2 cases), headaches (1 case), coma (1 case), a thrombophlebitis of the upper limb (3 cases). The thrombotic symptoms were exclusively venous-located. The seats of the thrombosis were the vena cava superior in 30% of the cases, the vena cava inferior in 20% of the cases, the veins of the lower limb in 20% of the cases, the cerebral vein in 20% of the cases, and the auxiliary vein in 10% of the cases. The treatment of the deep venous thrombosis consisted in all the cases of an effective anticoagulation associated with the colchicine. Primarily, the corticotherapy with a high dose was used in all the patients. One of them in the comatose stage, manifesting both cerebral thrombophlebitis and aseptic meningitis, had died. Conclusion: Behçet's disease is a disease of the young adult, but it must be evoked even in old age, with a view to appropriate man
We report the first case of isolated Cor triatriatum sinister in a 36-year-old male with metabolic syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a rare congenital heart disease that consists of a fibromuscular ring that divides the atrium into two chambers. It can mimic mitral valve stenosis.
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