Job. Olubodun, NUTRITIONAL FACTORS AND HEART-FAILURE IN NIGERIANS WITH HYPERTENSIVE HEART-DISEASE, International journal of cardiology, 35(1), 1992, pp. 71-76
Thirty Nigerian hypertensives with heart failure and 30 without heart
failure, matched for age and sex, were studied. Diastolic blood pressu
res were similar in the two groups (118 +/- 15 and 118.5 +/- 13.6 mmHg
, respectively) (P > 0.5), while systolic blood pressures were higher
in the non-heart failure group (176.7 +/- 29.7 and 198.8 +/- 29.8 mmHg
, respectively) (P < 0.01). The mean durations of initial detection of
high blood pressure in the previously known hypertensives in the two
groups were 4.9 +/- 3.8 and 4.4 +/- 3.3 years, respectively (P < 0.05)
, and their drug compliance prior to this study was similarly poor (P
> 0.1). In the two groups, 33.3% and 10% were thiamine deficient, resp
ectively (P < 0.001), with TPP > 15%; 23.3% and 0% had hypoalbuminaemi
a (P < 0.02), with a mean serum albumin of 35 +/- 7 and 42 +/- 3 g/l,
respectively (P < 0.001); while 36.7% and 13.3% were anaemic, respecti
vely (P < 0.05). Heart failure was more severe in those with more than
one of these adverse factors (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the
se factors, more prevalent in the heart failure group, would have hast
ened and worsened their heart failure. It is suggested that an active
nutritional approach be incorporated into the management of hypertensi
ves, particularly in the developing world.