Risk factors for coronary heart disease among diabetic patients

Objective: To assess the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and to calculate a 10-year CHD risk among diabetic patients in Kuwait. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Fahaeel Speciality Clinic, Ahmadi Health District. Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: Two hundred adult diabetic patients of either sex (type 2) were included in the study. Data was collected on patients' demographic background and different clinical investigations. Main Outcome Measures: The calculated Framingham global risk estimate of a 10-year risk of CHD. Results: The data showed a high prevalence of multiple risk factors for CHD among diabetic patients. Among men 28% had low risk for CHD (<= 10% 10-year risk), 29% had moderate risk for CHD (between a 10 and 20% 10 year risk), and 45% had high risk for CHD (greater than 20% 10 year risk). Forty percent of women had low risk, 33% had moderate risk and 27% had high risk for CHD. Conclusions: Multiple risk factors for CHD are prevalent among the studied patients with type 2 diabetes. This illustrates the need for more in-depth research on this subject. It is also an imperative that primary health care for diabetic patients in Kuwait involves an increased awareness on how to mitigate such common risk factors for CHD.