Distribution of selected cardiovascular disease risk factors among hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study, Cameroon

Objective: To determine the distribution of conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors in hemodialyzed patients in a novel Cameroonian regional hemodialysis center.Methods: This was cross-sectional study carried out at the hemodialysis center of the Garoua Regional Hospital during the period April to August 2014. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric and biochemical data were assessed.Results: Our sample population constituted 35 patients with stage V chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis. Among them, 74.3% were physically inactive while 22.9% and 2.9% presented with alcohol and tobacco consumption, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemias, overweight and obesity were estimated at 91.4%, 22.9%, 85.7%, 25.7% and 14.8%, respectively. There was a significant difference between men and women concerning the mean values of diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.036) and HDL cholesterol (p = 0.024). Moreover, the mean systolic (P = 0.028) and diastolic (P = 0.005) blood pressures were significantly highest in patients with less than a year of hemodialysis.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that dyslipidemias and other cardiovascular disease risk factors frequently occur in hemodialyzed patients in our setting.Keywords: Cardiovascular Diseases, Chronic Kidney Disease, Renal Dialysis, Risk Factor