Cardiovascular System Problems Among Geriatric Population of Arar City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Prevalence and Determinants.

Abstract

Abstract:Background: Over the last twenty years, Saudi Arabia has witnessed major socioeconomic development leading to significant changes in its standard of living and lifestyle. This transformation of the society resulted in changes in dietary habits, compounded by a lack of exercise among elderly have contributed to the emergence of diseases, including hypertension and IHD and other important cardiovascular diseases.Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular system diseases, its types and its determinants among the elderly population of Arar city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Participants and methods: A cross sectional study included 276 participant aged 60 years and above, attending 5 randomly selected primary healthcare centers in Arar city. Data was collected through personal interviews with the sampled elderly and filling the questionnaire which guided us to the data of socio-demographic characteristics, smoking status and diabetes millets. BMI was calculated. The questionnaire included questions regarding the cardiovascular system diseases, its types and its determinants, after ensuring the diagnosis and by reviewing the accompanied health reports and prescriptions and asking the caregivers about the case. Results: The overall prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was 73.2%, hypertension was found in about half (44.9%) of them, ischemic heart diseases in 18.9%; Myocardial infarction was found in 10.9%, Ischemia in 8.0% and Arrhythmias in 6.5% of the studied elderly population. There is insignificant relationship between the occurrence of hypertension and sex, age group, DM and obesity (P>0.05). But there is significant relation between the occurrence of hypertension and smoking in studied elderly population (P<0.05). There is significant relation between the occurrence of ischemic heart diseases and sex, age group, smoking and DM in studied elderly population (P<0.05). But there is insignificant relationship between the occurrence of ischemic heart