Diabetes and hyperglycaemia among patients with congestive cardiac failure in a multiethnic population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion of patients with congestive cardiac failure (CCF) who also have known diabetes.


METHODS
A retrospective review was undertaken of the charts of a randomly selected 30% of patients with congestive cardiac failure without myocardial infarction, and all patients with congestive cardiac failure with myocardial infarction, who attended Middlemore Hospital between 1 October 1992-30 September 1993.


RESULTS
Congestive cardiac failure was coded as present in 1130 (15%) of admissions for 887 (16%) patients. Myocardial infarction had occurred in 106 (12%) of these cases. European patients were older, were more likely to have a past history of angina or acute myocardial infarction (38.6% vs 13.1% Maori, 4% Pacific Is, p < 0.001) and less likely to have known diabetes (Europeans 17% vs 34% Maori, Pacific Is 36%, p < 0.05). Among those aged 40-59 years, the proportion of Maori and Pacific Islands patients with known diabetes was around 50%.


CONCLUSIONS
Diabetes is a major risk factor for congestive cardiac failure among Maori and Pacific Islands patients. In contrast with Europeans, ischaemic heart disease is an infrequent risk factor in these patients.
Bhoopatkar
H
H
University of Auckland.
Simmons
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors