BackgroundCardiovascular disease worldwide is largely driven by modifiable risk factors. This study sought to identify and determine the prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors according to sex in inhabitants of a rural community in a developing country.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included participants aged ≥40 years in the rural community of Aaye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria. All participants who met the inclusion criteria were drawn from the 161 households in the community. Data on the following were collected: arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidaemia, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and sociodemographic parameters. These were analysed with SPSS version 16.0 software.ResultsThe 104 participants (33 male, 71 female) had a mean age (± standard deviation) of 66.77 ± 12.06 years (range, 40–88 years). The majority of the participants (56.7%) were aged 60–79 years. Hypertension was present in 66.4%, diabetes mellitus in 4.8%, abdominal obesity in 38.46%, smoking in 2.9%, physical inactivity in 29.8%, and high alcohol consumption in 1%. Dyslipidaemia, as represented by low HDL-C, occurred in 30%. There were borderline high levels of TC in 4.5%, LDL-C in 1.1%, and TG in 12.5%, but no subject had a high level. Abdominal obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking were statistically significantly associated with sex.ConclusionIn this study, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, apart from hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity and low HDL-C had a low prevalence in the rural Nigerian community. However, the high prevalence of hypertension in this poor community suggests a high risk of a future cardiovascular event.

Male gender and elderly aged groups were predominant on admission. Noncommunicable diseases were of higher proportion on admission than communicable diseases. The most common cause of death was cardiovascular diseases of which stroke topped the list.

BackgroundThere are few studies from Nigeria and Africa regarding the contribution of obesity and hypertension to cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients. This study investigates the prevalence of hypertension and obesity and their association with HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment (ART).MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional cohort study in a rural tertiary health center in Nigeria. The data collected included demographic variables, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), monthly income, educational attainment, HIV status and ART treatment, duration of treatment, and CD4 T-lymphocyte count.ResultsA total of 403 participants met the inclusion criteria. There were 153 (38.0%) HIV-negative subjects (42.5% male, 57.5% female; mean age: 35.5±7.6 years), 120 (29.8%) HIV-positive drug-naïve subjects (42.5% male, 57.5% female; mean age: 36.5±9.1 years), and 130 (32.2%) HIV-positive subjects taking antiretroviral drugs (33.1% male, 66.9% female; mean age: 38.6±8.0 years). The prevalence of hypertension was 13.7% in HIV-negative subjects, 19.0% in HIV-positive drug-naïve subjects, and 12.3% in HIV-positive ART subjects. The prevalence of obesity was 15.9% in the HIV-negative group, 3% in the HIV-positive drug-naïve group, and 8% in the HIV-positive ART group. Multivariate regression analysis showed no relationship between hypertension and HIV status (P=0.293) or ART status (P=0.587). In contrast, BMI showed a strong relationship with HIV status (odds ratio: 0.281; 95% confidence interval: 0.089–0.884; P=0.030) but not with ART status (P=0.593). BMI was a significant predictor of hypertension.ConclusionHIV or ART status was not associated with hypertension. HIV infection was associated with a lower BMI, and a lower prevalence of obesity compared with HIV-negative subjects.

BackgroundThere is a scarcity of data in rural health centers in Nigeria regarding the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and HIV infection. We investigated this relationship using indicators of SES.MethodsAn analytical case-control study was conducted in the HIV clinic of a rural tertiary health center. Data collection included demographic variables, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, marital status, and religion. HIV was diagnosed by conventional methods. Data were analyzed with the SPSS version 16 software.ResultsA total of 115 (48.5%) HIV-negative subjects with a mean age of 35.49±7.63 years (range: 15–54 years), and 122 (51.5%) HIV-positive subjects with a mean age of 36.35±8.31 years (range: 15–53 years) were involved in the study. Participants consisted of 47 (40.9%) men and 68 (59.1%) women who were HIV negative. Those who were HIV positive consisted of 35 (28.7%) men and 87 (71.3%) women. Attainment of secondary school levels of education, and all categories of monthly income showed statistically significant relationships with HIV infection (P=0.018 and P<0.05, respectively) after analysis using a logistic regression model. Employment status did not show any significant relationship with HIV infection.ConclusionOur findings suggested that some indicators of SES are differently related to HIV infection. Prevalent HIV infections are now concentrated among those with low incomes. Urgent measures to improve HIV prevention among low income earners are necessary. Further research in this area requires multiple measures in relation to partners’ SES (measured by education, employment, and income) to further define this relationship.

HIV-positive patients may be at higher risk of sudden cardiac death due to fatal arrhythmia secondary to QTc interval-related cardiac events. Healthcare providers should be aware that a prolonged QTc interval is a potential indicator of increased cardiovascular risk and should exercise caution in prescribing potentially QT-prolonging medications to HIV-positive patients.