Plasma lipid profiles in Nigerians with normal blood pressure, hypertension and other acquired cardiac conditions.

BACKGROUND

The attention of researchers has recently been drawn to the changing lipid pattern in the Nigerian African because of diet and changing lifestyles. With increasing awareness of systemic hypertension and the role of cholesterol in ischaemic heart disease, indiscriminate emphasis has been placed on the reduction of fat intake and total calorie intake in every patient who has any form of heart disease.

OBJECTIVE

To assess and demonstrate any association between abnormal lipid profile and some acquired cardiovascular diseases, which confer relevance of dietary cholesterol restriction.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Cardiology clinic, University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

SUBJECTS: One hundred and twenty two patients (59 males and 63 females) who attended the cardiology clinic in the month of May 2001.

RESULTS

The results revealed significant hyperlipidaemia in three groups of Nigerian patients with acquired heart disease: the hypertensive with or without hypertensive heart disease (HHDx), the patient with ischaemic heart disease (IHD), and those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) had lower cholesterol levels than the normotensives.

CONCLUSION

This study has demonstrated that not all acquired cardiovascular diseases are associated with hyperlipidaemia. Intervention studies may therefore be needed to examine the benefits or adverse effects of dietary restriction in such conditions.