ABSTRACT
Background: Coronary Heart Disease [CHD] in most common form of heart diseases and premature deaths
Objective: To determine the risk factors of coronary heart disease [CHD] in patients from Southern Punjab
Subjects and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out in the Community Medicine Department, Nishtar Medical College, Multan in collaboration with the CPE Institute of Cardiology, Multan and Cardiology Ward, Nishtar Hospital, Multan. All patients presenting with acute coronary heart disease, from September to November, 2009, were included in this study. The diagnosis was made by a Cardiologist. Patients were interviewed for the presence or absence of Conventional Risk Factors for CHD. The risk factors studied were gender, smoking, hypertension, positive family history, diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, anxiety and depression. All information was entered into a pre designed proforma. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 10
Results: Among patients of CHD, 70% were males and 30% were females. Smoking habit was seen in about half of the patients [49.50%]. Hypertension was present in 45%, positive family history in 32%, diabetes mellitus in 29.50% of patients 26% were obese, 23% have dyslipidemia while 15% reported to have anxiety and depression
Conclusion: We conclude that after male gender, smoking habit was the most prevalent risk factor seen in our study population. Other risk factors found, in the descending order, were hypertension, positive family history, diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, and anxiety and depression. Our study demonstrates the importance of modifiable risk factors which may be targetted in designing the preventive strategies for CHD