Assessment of coronary heart diseases in diabetics in al-Madinah al-Munawarah

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease is highly prevalent and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to assess the major risk factors and their predictor score for coronary heart diseases in diabetic patients. METHODS: The present study was conducted in al-Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Using a cross-sectional case control study, 262 outpatient diabetics and 264 matched control subjects were examined for the risk factors and risk predictor scores for ischemic heart disease. The mean age of the patient and control groups was 49.61 ± 12.93 years and 48.39 ± 11.60 years, respectively. RESULTS: Diabetic patients had significantly higher positive family history of diabetes, but no significant difference regarding their family history of hypertension. There was a significantly higher body mass index (33.67 kg/m(2)), glycosylated hemoglobin (7.26%), significantly higher cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride in diabetics compared to control. Diabetic patients had higher risk for developing coronary heart disease with a mean risk score of 6.07 while the control subject risk score was −6.81. However, females showed significantly higher risk for coronary heart diseases than did males. CONCLUSION: Our study replicates the known fact of higher risk in diabetes, but higher risk of coronary heart disease in female diabetics compared with male diabetics.