Spectrum of heart diseases based on echocardiographic findings: A retrospective study from a tertiary institution in Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, with regional variations in disease patterns. Echocardiography is a key diagnostic tool for evaluating heart diseases, particularly in resource-limited settings, yet data on their echocardiographic spectrum remain sparse in some regions. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the spectrum of heart diseases diagnosed via echocardiography at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, a tertiary hospital in Northwestern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of echocardiographic data from September 2022 to February 2025 was conducted. Patients aged ≥ 15 years referred for echocardiography at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, were included. Data on demographics, diagnoses, ventricular function, and left ventricular (LV) geometry were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. RESULTS: Among 841 patients (mean age 48 ± 18 years, 59% were female), 89.4% had abnormal echocardiograms. Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) was the most common diagnosis (57.6%), followed by peripartum cardiomyopathy (10.2%) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, 9.3%). Diastolic dysfunction (82%) was more prevalent than systolic dysfunction (54%), with Type I diastolic dysfunction (44.8%) being the most frequent. Significant gender disparities were observed, with HHD, DCM, and IHD ( P < 0.05). LV geometry abnormalities included eccentric LV hypertrophy (LVH, 37.8%) and concentric LVH (17.8%) among others. CONCLUSION: HHD is the leading cardiac pathology in this region, with a high burden of diastolic dysfunction. Early cardiovascular risk screening and management with targeted interventions for hypertension control and gender-specific cardiac care are needed.