title: Prevalence of conventional risk factors in Jordanians with coronary heart disease: the Jordan Hyperlipidemia and Related Targets Study (JoHARTS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of the major conventional cardiovascular risk factors - cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia - among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients in the Middle East has not been studied extensively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Jordan Hyperlipidemia And Related Targets Study (JoHARTS) evaluated the prevalence of the 4 conventional risk factors in 5000 individuals including 1692 (34%) women. CHD was present in 1534 (31%) individuals (1202 men and 332 women). Among CHD patients, at least one risk factor was present in the majority of men (95%) and women (96%). Compared with women who had CHD, men had significantly higher prevalence of smoking (45% vs. 11%, p < 0.0001) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (60% vs. 39%, p < 0.0001), and lower prevalence of diabetes (40% vs. 64%, p < 0.0001), hypertension (38% vs. 63%, p < 0.0001), and hypercholesterolemia (19% vs. 27%, p = 0.003). Diabetes was more prevalent among men and women with CHD than men and women without CHD (40% vs. 18% for men, and 64% vs. 24% for women p < 0.0001). Similarly, smoking was more prevalent in men and women with CHD than those without CHD (45% vs. 32% for men, and 11% vs. 7%, p < 0.0001). Low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also more prevalent in men with CHD than those without CHD (60% vs. 51%, p < 0.001) and among women with CHD than those without CHD (39% vs. 24%, p = 0.0001). Prevalence rates of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were not different among individuals with or without CHD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results further challenge claims that patients with CHD commonly lack conventional risk factors. The great majority (>95%) of CHD patients studied have at least one risk factor. Detection, evaluation and management of these factors are essential steps to control CHD in the region.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Al-Essra Hospital, Amman, Jordan. aymanjh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ayman J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hammoudeh
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Tarawneh
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elharassis
authors.forename: Jihad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mahadeen
authors.forename: Nidal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Badran
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izraiq
authors.forename: Eyas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Al-Mousa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology