Data from N. Peer et al provide new insights into cardiovascular disease.(Report)

According to recent research published in the American Journal of Hypertension, "In South Africa (SA) cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the second leading cause of death, with hypertension (HTN) being the predominant contributor to morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. We examined the prevalence and determinants of target organ damage (TOD) among urban black hypertensive South Africans attending primary health-care (PHC) services in Cape Town."

"Patients on HTN treatment, 35-65 years of age, participated in this cross-sectional study. Data relating to sociodemographic factors, medical history, lifestyle patterns, and HTN care regimens were obtained. Blood and urine samples were analyzed and electrocardiographs (ECGs) were recorded. Sokolow-Lyon and Minnesota Code (MC) criteria were used for identifying left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Reduced creatinine clearance (Cockroft-Gault), microalbuminuria, proteinuria, and elevated serum creatinine levels were used for identifying ''renal impairment by any criteria'' (RIC). Ischemic ECG patterns were classified in terms of MC criteria. Hypertension (HTN) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in adult black South Africans. More than 6 million South Africans have HTN,1,2 with rates of prevalence being 22 and 25% among urban black African men and women, respectively. Besides being a key risk factor for ischemic heart disease and stroke, undiagnosed and/or poorly controlled HTN also contributes to renal disease, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), other target organ damage (TOD), and premature death. In South Africa (SA) CVD is the second in the list of leading causes of death, after HIV/AIDS. Chronic diseases, which include CVD, account for 36 and 40% of deaths among men and women, respectively.(3) The high rates of undiagnosed ...