Evaluation of the cardiovascular disease risk of the psychiatric inpatients of a university hospital by using Framingham risk score

Abstract

Introduction

According to literature, the patients with severe mental disorder have higher cardiovascular disease risk than the normal population.

Objectives

The current study based on the assumption that elevated inflammatory markers may be related to cardiovascular disease risk in psychiatric patient population.

Aims

This study is aimed to define the relation between the inflammatory reactant, C-reactive protein levels and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease according to Framingham risk score (FRS).

Methods

A total of 204 patients (106 female–98 male) who admitted to the psychiatric service between March and November 2015 and diagnosed with major depression, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorder were included in the study. Participants were evaluated by their gender, age, body mass index, waist circumference, high density lipoprotein levels, total cholesterol levels, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, diabetes comorbidity and CRP levels.

Results

Ten-year risk of cardiovascular disease was found significantly higher at males than females (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between the FRS and the CRP levels which is an acute phase reactant and a contributer of atherogenesis (P = 0.763). However, mean values of CRP levels were determined as 0.59 ± 0.07 mg/dL for females and 0.56 ± 0.07 mg/dL for males. These levels are both high compared to the normal value which is up to 0.34 mg/dL. There was also a remarkable correlation between FRS scores and waist circumference (P = 0.012).

Conclusions

Framingham risk score can be used to detect cardiovascular disease risk and can be helpful in management of pharmacotherapy of the high-risk population.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.