Symptoms, signs and complications associated with hypertension in indigenous African patients in Dar es Salaam.
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Date
1977
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
In this study 4739 medical admissions had hypertension on the World Health Organisation Criteria. 16 patients were discharged prematurely and 172 African Patients, 103 males and 69 females were studied for symptoms, clinical signs and complications associated with hypertension in Dar es Salaam for a period of 6 months (January to June, 1976). There were no differences between the sexes in terms of their average ages and average erterial blood pressures. Dyspnoea headaches, oedima/ascites and palpitations were the commenest presentation in that order. The increase in headaches rate has been discussed. Only 3 patients had no complaints. 118 (68.6%) patients had hypertensive heart failure; one (0.6%) patients had heart failure; one (0.6%) Myocardial inforction, 30 (17.4%) patients had hypertensive cerebravascular disease and 23 (13.3%) patients had renal failure. 77 patients had hypertensive neuroretinopathy but only 5 (2.9%) patients had Grade IV neuroretinopathy and 17 (10.0%) patients Grade III. There were positive correlation between diastolic blood pressure level and Grade IV hypertensive encephalopathy respectively. There was also a positive correlation between strokes and age above 50 years. 10 (5.8%) patients died in hospital. 8 (4.7%) of them were related to hypertension. Results have been discussed and agree with those obtained from other studies elsewhere. Hypertension is common and a major disease in Africa's in the hospital environment deserving a priority position. Hypertensive neuroretiono pathy in African hypertensive calls for further reappraisal. A community based study should be considered in order to define the actiological pattern and prevalence of the disease in the population.
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Keywords
Hypertension, Complications and sequelae, Dar es Salaam
Citation
Mtulia, I. A. T. (1977). Symptoms, signs and complications associated with hypertension in indigenous African patients in Dar es Salaam. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/search.aspx?formtype=advanced)