Prevalence and Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease among Patients attending Primary Health Care Centres in Qassim, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a major public health challenge in Saudi Arabia, with regional disparities necessitating localized research. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of CVD risk factors and their association with the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) among patients registered with primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in the Qassim region. Methods: Data was collected from 36 PHCs, including demographic information, medical history, lifestyle factors, and clinical measurements. SPSS software was employed for statistical analysis. Chi-square test and logistic regression model was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 387 participants were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 47 years. Of the participants, 14% were smokers, 21% were diabetic, 39.8% were overweight, and 33.1% were obese. Smoking was notably more prevalent among males (14%) compared to females (3.6%). Females exhibited higher median cholesterol levels (181 mg/dl vs. 175 mg/dl in males) and had higher blood pressure levels than males. Males were at high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk at a median age of 70, while females reached this risk at a median age of 79. The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) classified 12.7% of participants as being at intermediate to high risk (score ≥ 10) for a 10-year CVD event, whereas the majority (86.6%) were classified as low risk (score < 10). Age was significantly associated with an increased FRS, with each unit increase in age leading to higher odds of an FRS ≥ 10% (p-value: .000, AOR: 1.176, 95% CI: 1.127-1.227). Females had significantly lower odds of having an FRS ≥ 10% compared to males (p-value: .000, AOR: 0.109, 95% CI: 0.038-0.310). Physical activity was significantly linked with a lower FRS (< 10%) (p-value: .000, AOR: 0.074, 95% CI: 0.019-0.289). Conclusion: There is prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among population of Qassim region. Age, lack of physical activity and lack of treatment for hypertension associated with High FRS score. These findings call for CVD prevention and management strategies among the risk groups within Qassim’s PHCs. This research also emphasizes the importance of localized studies make region and culture dependent tailored interventions to control the cardiovascular disease.