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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 30, No 2, March/April 2019
90
AFRICA
hypertension (69 vs 49%), dyslipidaemia (60 vs 45%), and
obesity (71 vs 41%;
p
<
0.001 for all) (Fig. 1), but atherogenic
dyslipidaemia was equally prevalent in men and women (32%).
The higher prevalence of diabetes in women was not solely
explained by their older age, since it was also observed when
the population was stratified by age (Table 3). Women were
also more likely to report chronic use of several drugs prior to
admission, including aspirin (66 vs 58% in men) (
p
<
0.001),
β
-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI),
nitrates and oral anticoagulants (Fig. 2).
The commonly prescribed medications during hospitalisation
are shown in Fig. 2, pooled for men and women, since the
frequencies were similar for both. More than 90% of patients
admitted with ACS received aspirin, clopidogrel/ticagrelor
statins, and beta-blockers. Nitrates, low-molecular-weight
heparin and ACEI were administered in more than 75% of
patients. Unfractionated heparin, fondaparinux, glycoprotein
IIb/IIIa inhibitors, oral anticoagulants and calcium channel
Table 3. Prevalence of risk factors by age and gender
Age group
<
55 years
55
–
64 years
≥
65 years
Variables
Men
(
n
=
583)
Women
(
n
=
122)
Men
(
n
=
453)
Women
(
n
=
161)
Men
(
n
=
220)
Women
(
n
=
142)
Current smoking, %
72
5
56
6
50
4
Ex-smoking, % 12
1
21
3
21
1
Type 2 diabetes, % 28
45
40
62
39
50
Hypertension, % 40
54
57
70
61
80
Dyslipidaemia, % 42
60
48
64
49
55
Isolated atherogenic
dyslipidaemia, %
22
19
19
17
18
18
Overweight, %
46
28
44
16
50
23
Obesity, %
40
69
47
79
30
62
Central obesity, %
76
92
84
91
84
85
Family history
CAD, %
29
32
26
30
24
28
Data are presented as % within age and gender groups. Central obesity was defined
as waist/height ratio
≥
0.5. For other definitions, see Methods section. CAD, coro-
nary artery disease. The three most frequently occurring risk factors within each
subgroup are in bold.
Type 1 diabetes
Family history CAD
Current smoking
**
Atherogenic dyslipidaemia
Dyslipidaemia
**
Type 2 diabetes
**
Hypertension
**
Overweight
**
Obesity
**
Central obesity
**
0
20
40
60
80
% of subjects
Men
Women
Fig. 1.
Gender-specific prevalence of traditional cardiovascu-
lar risk factors. Data are presented as percentages of
each gender having the specified risk factor.
n
=
1 256
men and 425 women. Central obesity was defined
as waist/height ratio
≥
0.5. For other definitions see
Methods section. CAD, coronary artery disease. **
p
<
0.001 vs women.
Aspirin
Statins
β
-blockers
Clop/Tica
ACEI
Nitrates
LMW heparin
Insulin
Unfractionated heparin
Loop diuretics
Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa
% of subjects
0
20
40
60
80
100
Aspirin
*
β
-blockers
*
ACEI
*
Statins
Nitrates
*
Clop/Tica
Oral anticoag
**
Insulin
**
Loop diuretics
Ca
2+
channel blockers
Non-loop diuretics
0
20
40
60
% of subjects
Men
Women
Fig. 2.
A. Commonly prescribed in-hospital medications in
the total population (men and women combined).
No significant gender difference was observed for
any of the drugs. B. Gender differences in history of
chronic drug use prior to admission.
n
=
1 256 men
and 425 women. *
p
<
0.05; **
p
<
0.001 by Pearson’s
χ
2
test. ACEI, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibi-
tors; CLOP/TICA, clopidogrel or ticagrelor; LMW, low-
molecular-weight.
A
B