Characteristics of patients with acute heart failure in North Central Nigeria
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osun State
Abstract
Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is an important cause of hospital admission in Nigeria. HF is increasingly
prevalent because the population is aging and HF epidemiology is changing. We aimed at profiling the
socio-demographic, clinical and echocardiographic (Echo) characteristics of patients admitted for acute
HF. This is one of the largest cohorts of HF patients profiled in Nigeria so far.
Methods: Cross sectional design. Socio-demographic, clinical and Echo data were collected from 455
patients admitted for AHF at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, North central, Nigeria.
Results: Mean age of patients was 58.9± 15.7years, (men were older than women, P= 0.006). 265(58.2%)
were males, most patients were aged >60 years, 4.8% had pre-existing Type2 Diabetes mellitus. 53.2% of
patients presented in New York Heart Association Stages III and IV. Median duration of admission was
11days (IQR, 6-17), intrahospital mortality- 11.6%. Hypertension was the commonest aetiological factor
(62.4%), followed by dilated cardiomyopathy 17.6%, rheumatic heart disease (6.6%), Peripartum
cardiomyopathy (5.3%), and others.
Conclusion: AHF patients in our study are older than those in previous studies in Nigeria and sub-Saharan
Africa. Hypertension is main driver of AHF, and patients largely present with clinically advanced disease
necessitating stronger public health education about risk factors and early presentation.