In-hospital mortality among patients admitted for hypertension-related complications in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the in-hospital mortality rate related to complications of hypertension in Goma. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective and analytical study during the study period from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2021. We assessed in-hospital mortality among patients admitted for hypertension-related complications in 8 hospitals in Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We modeled the probability of death using stepwise logistic regression. Results: Of 485 hypertensive patients (mean age: 60.57 years; 221 women), 67 (13.8%) were unaware that they had hypertension. Among 418 conscious patients (86.2%), 25 (6.0%) were not taking antihypertensive medication. During the 15 days (median) of hospitalization, 181 deaths (37.2%) occurred. The multivariate adjusted probability of death increased with comorbidities: heart failure (adjusted OR=4.1; 95% CI: 1.76-10.8), chronic renal failure (adjusted OR= 5.43; 95% CI: 1.97-17.8), and cerebrovascular complications of hypertension (adjusted OR=2.14; 95% CI: 1.28-3.61). Conclusion: In-hospital mortality of African patients hospitalized for hypertension-related disorders in Goma is above 30%. These results highlight that screening and treatment of hypertension and prevention of cardiovascular disease should be much higher on the political agenda in sub-Saharan Africa.