A survey for prevalence of coronary artery disease and its risk factors in an urban population in Andhra Pradesh.

OBJECTIVES: The present cross-sectional community-based study was conducted to assess the prevalence and risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in an urban community in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh.

METHODS: A survey was carried out in two localities of Tenali town, Andhra Pradesh (A.P) namely Gandhinagar and Nazarpet between July 2009 and October 2009. A total of 534 people aged 20 years and above in randomly selected houses in each street of the 2 localities were examined. All of them underwent oral glucose tolerance test and lipid profile estimation and a 12-lead electrocardiogram. CAD was diagnosed based on previous medical history and documented myocardial infarction and/or coronary intervention procedures or Minnesota coding of ECGs.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of CAD was 5.4% (age standardized prevalence rate = 5.1%). The prevalence rate of CAD were 3.0%, 23.5% and 11.3% in persons with normal glucose tolerance impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus respectively. Prevalence of CAD increased with an increase in total cholesterol (P < 0.01), serum triglycerides (P < 0.01) low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P < 0.01) and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified age (odds ratio O.R.1.068, P = 0.0001), LDL Cholesterol (O.R. 0.98, P = 0.03), total cholesterol (O.R.1.107, P = 0.059) had a significant association with CAD.

CONCLUSIONS: Observations from our community based study indicate that prevalence of CAD in urban Andhra Pradesh is alarmingly high as observed in other parts of India and urgent steps are to be taken to adopt life style changes and to control risk factors.