Prevalence of Stroke, Coronary Artery Disease, Arrhythmias and Heart Failure: A Community-Based Study in Northern Cameroon

Abstract

Data on the cardiovascular disease epidemiology in Northern Cameroon remain insufficient. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), arrhythmias and heart failure among the Ngaoundere population. This was a community-based study conducted in Ngaoundere from March to June 2018. The study population consisted of adults over 20 years’ old who had been living in the city of Ngaoundere for at least one year and who had consented to participate in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included socio-demographic (gender, age, occupation, education, marital status, cardiovascular risk factors, personal and family history of CVD), and physical examination. Stroke, CAD, arrhythmias and heart failure were established by a combination of self reporting and the judgment of a cardiologist coauthor according to a physical examination. In total, 948 subjects aged 20 to 89 were included in the study. Their mean age was 39.92±14.75 years. The prevalence of stroke, CAD, arrhythmias and heart failure were 0.74%, 3.06%, 3.6%, and 12.45% respectively in the study population. In conclusion, in this area, prevalence of stroke, arrhythmias and heart failure was high among adult population. However, further studies including instrumental methods of cardiovascular diagnosis are needed to determine trends of CVD’s prevalence in Ngaoundere locality.