Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease among Tuberculosis Patients at Penang General Hospital, Malaysia

Introduction: The worldwide burden of tuberculosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is extensive in developing countries. There is a contributive relationship between tuberculosis infection and CVD disease. Monocytes, macrophages, lymphocytes, and cytokines involved in cellular-mediated immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis are also the main operators of atherosclerosis in cardiovascular arteries. Methodology: This study was conducted at Penang General Hospital, Malaysia from January 2023 to August 2023. Data was collected from January 2015 to December 2022. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of CVD among TB patients by different validation tools. A retrospective and descriptive research design was employed, focusing on TB patients without pre-existing CVD. This study involved a convenient sampling of 402 TB patient files. Results The present Study findings revealed a significant prevalence of CVD among TB patients, with 10.2% developing cardiovascular complications. Clinical parameters, including troponin-t high-sensitivity protein, c-reactive protein, electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, and cardiac enzymes, were employed to detect CVD development secondary to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis infection. The positive result of the above clinical parameters was considered confirmation of the development of cardiovascular disease. Conclusions The findings contribute to understanding the potential relationship of Tuberculosis infection with the development of cardiovascular disease, exploring the risk factors that lead to CVD, and paving the way for targeted interventions to enhance the holistic care of TB patients.