Description:
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is one of the cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Studies have shown that there is an increment of up to four times of coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetics as compare to non-diabetic population (World J Diabetes 2014, Howard, 2006 and Juutilainen; 2005). Data on the electrocardiographic patterns and associated cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients are scare in developing countries.
This study will be aimed at determiningECG patterns and cardiovascular risk factors among diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the ECG patterns and associated cardiovascular risk factors among diabetic patients attending diabetic clinic at KCMC hospital in Northern Tanzania.
METHODOLOGY: Descriptive cross-sectional hospital based study, which will be conducted from October 2016 to March 2017 involving consented diabetic patients aged 13 years and above attending diabetic clinic at KCMC hospital in Northern Tanzania.
A structured questionnaire will be administered to evaluate the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Standard procedures will be followed for measuring blood pressure, body mass index and waist circumference, fasting blood samples for lipid profiles as well as sample for glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) will be taken for laboratory workups. Patients will be sent to ECG room where by resting ECG will be done and an ECG interpretation will be done. Data analysis will be done by SPSS version 20 statistical software and chi-squared test, and multiple logistic regression will be used for data analysis. P-value of <0.05 shall be considered to be statistically significant.