THE OGBOMOSO CARDIOVASCULAR REGISTRY: BURDEN OF DISEASE AND DATA COMPLETENESS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

 Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of global mortality. Nigeria faces a "twin pandemic" of communicable and non-communicable diseases but suffers from a critical paucity of robust health data. The Ogbomoso Cardiovascular Registry was established in 2018 to delineate CVD patterns in Southwest Nigeria, yet incomplete data due to patients' financial constraints and lack of remote monitoring has hindered its potential.

 To address existing data gaps and create a comprehensive template for evaluating CVD in the region. Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 444 patients over 10 months. Informed consent was obtained, and data were collected via Google Forms. Investigations were subsidized through a grant. Results: Males comprised 49.4% of patients; 98.6% were of Yoruba ethnicity. Hypertension (77.7%), heart failure (11.4%), valvular disease (5.2%), and diabetes mellitus (4.5%) were prevalent; 93.3% never smoked and 86.5% never drank alcohol. Chest pain (41%) was the most common symptom, followed by fatigue (36.8%), palpitations (30.1%), and breathlessness (28%). Atrial fibrillation occurred in 5.2%; ST elevation and depression in 13.4% and 10.9%, respectively. Calcium channel blockers were most prescribed (51.4%), followed by ARBs (39.3%), beta-blockers (38.4%), and MRAs (20.7%). Heart failure was the leading diagnosis (15.2%). The primary action plan was medication optimization (90.9%); further testing was required in 31.9%.

 By addressing financial and data fragmentation challenges, this study strengthens the Ogbomoso Cardiovascular Registry, providing crucial evidence for policy, resource allocation, and improved CVD outcomes in Southwestern Nigeria.