Prevalence and Pattern of Echocardiographic Heart Disease among the Elderly in a Secondary Care Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Age-specific echocardiographic data on heart disease among elderly Nigerians remain limited. Aims: This study evaluated the prevalence and pattern of echocardiographic abnormalities, left ventricular (LV) geometry, systolic and diastolic function, and sex-related differences among elderly patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. Study Design: This study utilised a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical design. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Internal Medicine, Nisa-Garki Hospital. Data were collected retrospectively from the medical records of patients who presented to the hospital between January 2023 and January 2026. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 202 elderly patients (102 males and 100 females) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Clinical characteristics and echocardiographic parameters were analysed to determine the prevalence and pattern of cardiac abnormalities. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 69.6 ± 6.9 years. Male participants had a mean age of 69.1 ± 6.5 years, whereas female participants had a slightly higher mean age of 70.1 ± 7.4 years. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity (91.6%), followed by diabetes mellitus (26.2%). Hypertensive heart disease was the most common echocardiographic diagnosis (78.7%), and 98.0% of participants had at least one echocardiographic abnormality. Concentric hypertrophy was the predominant LV geometric pattern (58.4%), and LV diastolic dysfunction was present in 96.0% of participants. Preserved LV systolic function was observed in 89.6% of the cohort. Compared with females, males had significantly greater interventricular septal and posterior wall thicknesses, larger LV dimensions, higher left atrial volume, and greater LV mass and LV mass index (all P < 0.05). Conversely, females had significantly higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; 66.0% vs. 62.0%; P = 0.039) and fractional shortening (P = 0.031). Right atrial enlargement and aortic root dilatation were significantly more frequent among males. Conclusion: In this cohort, hypertension was the primary determinant of adverse cardiac remodelling, underscoring the importance of early detection, regular echocardiographic assessment, and effective blood pressure control.