Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Aspects of Hypertensive Patients at the Renaissance University Hospital Center in N'Djamena, Chad

Introduction and objective: Hypertension is a major global public health problem and is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases worldwide due to its prevalence and complications. The objective of this study was to determine the electrocardiographic and echocardiographic characteristics of hypertensive patients at the Renaissance University Hospital Center in N'Djamena, Chad. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection over a 12-month period from June 1st, 2023 to May 31st, 2024. The study included all medical records of hypertensive patients aged 18 years and older who were on follow up in the Cardiology Department and that underwent an electrocardiogram and a Doppler echocardiogram. We examined sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic variables. Results: A total of 322 records were collected. The patient population was predominantly male, with a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.3. The mean age was 55.6 years. Civil servants accounted for 33.2% of cases. The main cardiovascular risk factors identified were diabetes (21.4%), obesity (21%), and dyslipidemia (18.6%). Functionally, Dieulafoy’s neurosensory signs were the most common, at 52.4%. The most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs were calcium channel blockers (62.4%) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (49.1%). On electrocardiogram, the most common abnormalities were atrial hypertrophy (16.1%) and ventricular hypertrophy (13.6%). Cardiac arrhythmia due to atrial fibrillation was observed in 3.4% of cases. On echocardiography, the most common abnormalities were ventricular hypertrophy (32.3%), left atrial dilation (14.6%), and reduced left ventricular systolic function (7.1%). Conclusion: In this study, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in hypertensive patients were dominated by left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial dilation, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. These abnormalities were most common in patients with long-standing, uncontrolled hypertension.