The effect of cardiac risk factors in coronary heart disease (CHD) among diabetic patients

To compare the effect of 4 cardiac risk factors namely, hypertension, smoking, hypercholestrolaemia and obesity on coronary heart disease among diabetic patients, a retrospective study was carried out between August 1991 and September 1992. A total of 60 patients with diabetes mellitus were studied. 40 patients had CHD and 20 did not. The average age of the study group was 54.04 years. It was found that in diabetics who had hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or smoked, had a two-fold risk of developing CHD compared to those who did not have the above risk factors. There was no difference found between those patients who were obese and those who were not.