Author(s)

Ossinga Bassandja^*, Kayembe Tshilumba, Batina Agasa

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: Prehypertension (PHTN) is an emerging cardiovascular risk factor in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the overall cardiovascular risk in prehypertensive subjects in the city of Kisangani. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 344 prehypertensive adults recruited by stratified random sampling. The 10-year cardiovascular risk was assessed using the ISH/WHO score. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed to identify factors associated with elevated cardiovascular risk. Results: The prevalence of high cardiovascular risk (≥20%) was 32.7%. Older age (AOR = 4.27; CI 95%: 2.59 - 7.06; p < 0.001), male sex (AOR = 1.86; CI: 1.14 - 3.02; p = 0.013), smoking (AOR = 2.41; CI 95%: 1.44 - 4.08; p = 0.001), low physical activity (AOR = 1.75; CI: 1.08 - 2.86; p = 0.025), diabetes mellitus (AOR = 3.92; CI: 1.78 - 8.77; p = 0.001), dyslipidaemia (AOR = 2.15; CI 95%: 1.32 - 3.50; p = 0.002) and obesity (AOR = 2.76; CI 95%: 0.93 - 2.53; p = 0.005) have been independently associated with this elevated risk. Conclusion: A significant proportion of prehypertensives in Kisangani have a high cardiovascular risk, which underlines the need of adding global risk assessment into the management of prehypertensives and to develop targeted prevention strategies.

Assessment, Cardiovascular Risk Factor, Prehypertension, Adult, Kisangani

Bassandja, O. , Tshilumba, K. and Agasa, B. (2025) Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Prehypertensive Subjects in Kisangani (DR Congo): An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study Using the ISH/WHO Score. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 15, 199-212. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2025.154019.