Risk factors of coronary heart disease patients at Misrata: Awareness and orientation

Abstract

Many prospective studies have examined the associations between intakes of individual foods and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but few have evaluated the relation of overall dietary patterns to the risk. A descriptive hospital-based study was conducted to assess knowledge of CHD patients about risk factors in Misrata hospitals. The study has consisted of 100 patients with CHD, at different ages, who were selected randomly during 2019. The study data were collected using well-structured questionnaire, patient record, and anthropometric measurements. Pearson correlation was used to examine correlation between risk factors, blood fat profiles, and lifestyle. The results revealed that (52%) of patients fall within the age group 51-70 years, the CHD was widely prevalent among males (55%), most of the patients (41%) were illiterate, majority of patients (92%) were suffering from other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The majority of patients (63%) were considerably ignorant of the causes and risk factors for CHD (P≤0.05). The majority of patients (54%) have excess weight and engage in sporadic physical activity. When compared to fewer patients (8%) who follow up with a dietician, there is a significant difference (P≤0.05) between patients who have no knowledge of the CHD diet regimen and those who have not received any counseling themselves. The correlation between age groups, chronic illnesses, and blood fat profiles was significant (P≤0.05), according to the results. The majority of patients had no practiced therapeutic lifestyle and little physical activity towards control of CHD. The appropriate nutrition education and patients counseling should be recommended among outpatients of CHD.