PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Dejuma Yadeta
AU  - Senbeta Guteta
AU  - Bekele Alemayehu
AU  - Dufera Mekonnen
AU  - Etsegenet Gedlu
AU  - Henock Benti
AU  - Hagazi Tesfaye
AU  - Samuel Berhane
AU  - Abraha Hailu
AU  - Abadi Luel
AU  - Tedros Hailu
AU  - Wandimu Daniel
AU  - Abraham Haileamlak
AU  - Esayas Kebede Gudina
AU  - Gari Negeri
AU  - Desalew Mekonnen
AU  - Kindie Woubeshet
AU  - Tariku Egeno
AU  - Kinfe Lemma
AU  - Vibhu R Kshettry
AU  - Endale Tefera
TI  - Spectrum of cardiovascular diseases in six main referral hospitals of Ethiopia
AID  - 10.1136/heartasia-2016-010829
DP  - 2017 Jul 01
TA  - Heart Asia
PG  - e010829
VI  - 9
IP  - 2
4099  - http://heartasia.bmj.com/content/9/2/e010829.short
4100  - http://heartasia.bmj.com/content/9/2/e010829.full
AB  - Background The spectrum of cardiovascular diseases varies between and within countries, depending on the stage of epidemiological transition and risk factor profiles. Understanding this spectrum requires regional and national data for each region or country. This study was designed to determine the spectrum of cardiovascular diseases in six university hospitals in Ethiopia.Methods This is a cross-sectional study of the spectrum of cardiovascular diseases in six main referral/teaching hospitals located in different parts of the country. Consecutive patients visiting the follow-up cardiac clinics of these hospitals from 1 January to 30 June 2015 were included in the study. Data were collected on a pretested questionnaire.Results A total of 6275 patients (58.5% females) were included in the study. Nearly 61% of the patients were from urban areas. The median age was 33 years (IQR 14–55 years). Valvular heart disease was the most common diagnosis, accounting for 40.5% of the cases. Of 2541 patents with valvular heart disease, 2184 (86%) were cases of chronic rheumatic heart disease.Conclusion Our study shows that chronic rheumatic valvular heart disease is the most common cardiovascular diagnosis among patients seen at cardiology clinics of six referral/teaching hospitals in the country, followed by congenital heart diseases. Hypertensive and ischaemic heart diseases also accounted for a significant proportion of the cases. Therefore, strategies directed towards primary and secondary prevention of acute rheumatic fever as well as prevention of risk factors for hypertension and ischaemic heart disease may need to be strengthened.