This study was designed to assess the changes in plasma lipids and
lipoproteins, in particular high-density lipoprotein (HDLC) in patients
suffering from different types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in
South-western Nigeria. Patients were drawn from different socioeconomic
classes in order to determine the effect of this factor on CVD in
Nigeria. One hundred and seventy (74 males, 96 females) CVD patients
(hypertensive heart disease (n=48), hypertension (n=59), ischaemic
heart disease (n=49), myocardial infarction (n=4)) with a mean age of
45.3\ub113.2 years were selected. Fifty-eight individuals (31 males
and 27 female) with mean age of 44.8\ub111.7 years were included as
controls. Result showed significant increases in mean plasma total
cholesterol (TC) (P < 0.05), triglyceride and low density
lipoproteins (LDLC) (P < 0.01), LDLC: HDLC (p < 0.001), as well
as in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p < 0.001), while
plasma HDLC (p < 0.01) and HDLC:TC (p < 0.001) showed significant
decreases when compared with the corresponding mean control values.
There were graded decreases in plasma HDLC in the different
socioeconomic classes. The lowest mean plasma HDLC was found in IHD
patients. This study has uncovered variations in plasma lipids and
lipoproteins among patients of CVD within the different socioeconomic
classes in South-western Nigeria