Abstract:

Background: The rapid rise in non-communicable disease especially in developing countries including Tanzania represents one of major health challenges. Cardiovascular disease is one most important cause of non-communicable disease. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and it is the major contributor to premature death. Globally 51% of stroke and 45% of ischemic heart diseases are attributed to high systolic blood pressure. In eastern Mediterranean region cardiovascular disease and stroke account for 31% of death and hypertension affect 26% of the adult population.

In Tanzania although communicable disease are still major challenge of morbidity and mortality, non-communicable disease also contribute significantly to the disease burden between 18% to 24% death attributed to non-communicable disease. WHO projected that about 20% of all death in Tanzania in 2005 were attributed to chronic disease and cardiovascular diseases contribute 9%

Methods: This was an attachment study conducted at Lugalo military hospital in Kinondoni district in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. This study was conducted to assess the management of cardiovascular diseases. The data was collected randomly among inpatients and outpatients who were admitted and who were visiting the MOPD at Lugalo military hospital.

Results: And among the CVD 103 patients in the study, 1 (0.97%) had age less than 30 years, 7(6.8%) hade age between 30-40 years, 31 (30%) had age between 41-50 years, 33 (32%) had age between 51-60 years, 27 (26.2%) hade age between 61-70 years and 4 (3.9%) hade age above 70 years. In a population study of 103 patients who are involved in this study, 60 (58.25%) were male and 43 (41.75%) were female.

Among the population study 40 (38%) had non adherence to medications and reasons for non-adherence to medication were 13 (32%) due to cost of drugs, 12 (30%) due to drugs burden (too many pills), 11 (27.5%) due to lack of knowledge about and the fact that medication should be taken even if you’re feeling better, 4 (10%) were due to drug side effects.

Among the CVD patients only 43 (41.75%) presents with complication and among the complications 21 (48.84%) had CCF, 14 (32.56%) had stroke, 10 (23.26%) had IHD, 2 (4.65%) had AKI and 1 (0.97%) had hypertensive urgency. Among the patients who presented with complication 17 (42.5%) had poor adherence to medications.

Conclusion: Education concerning CVD risk factors including diet, style modification as most patients had BMI of more than 30, symptoms of early complications and management including understanding CVD treatment is lifelong is still needed since most of the people are seems not to understands anything concerning CVD, also medical attendant and clinical officer should be educated about proper anti HTN management and treatment, education also should be extended to pharmacist especially who sell drugs in pharmacy to understand the prescriptions and provide drugs as prescribed and patients should be told the medication they are using are lifelong and the important of adhering to medications as there was association between non adherence to medication and development of CVD complications.