Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Using WHO/ISH Risk Prediction Charts In a Rural Area of North India

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is emerging as a public health problem among low and middle income countries. Recent trends show that these risk factors are spreading fast from urban to rural populations. Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the cardiovascular risk among adults aged ≥40 years, utilizing the WHO/ISH risk charts in a rural population of North India. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at rural health training centre (RHTC) of North India. The information was collected by using a pretested questionnaire from adults aged ≥ 40 years, who had come to attend a health check up camp at the centre. Anthropometric measurements and laboratory investigations were completed for 133 participants. The data was analysed by using statistical software SPSS. Results: Risk of CVD was assessed to be ≥ 10% in 44.4% of subjects in 10 years duration. CVD risk (≥10%) was found to be higher in females (59.3%) as compared to males (40.7%). However this difference was found to be statistically non-significant (p=0.325). Greater than 10% CVD risk was significantly associated with illiteracy (p=0.043), raised pulse rate (p=0.031), systolic hypertension (p=0.00) and diabetes (p=0.00). Conclusion: The study points towards significant burden of CVD risk in rural North India, thus necessitating further evaluation/ research by using these charts, which is a low cost and easy screening tool in other settings, warranting an urgent need of actions to address this problem