Assessing Prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases in Female Patients of Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

The current study investigated the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among young women in Karachi, Pakistan. Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected from 171 female participants (aged 18–45 years) at The Modern Hospital through convenient sampling. The findings revealed a high prevalence of CVD history (43.9%), with hypertension identified as the most common diagnosis (28.1%). Statistical analysis showed that lower educational level and middle adulthood were significant predictors of CVD history, while marital status and pregnancy did not show significance. Notably, family history emerged as the most potent predictor of disease, alongside clinical markers such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and elevated blood pressure. Interestingly, although 46% of the sample was overweight, BMI did not show a statistically significant correlation with CVD history in this specific cohort. A significant portion of participants (56.1%) reported uncertainty regarding the duration of their health discrepancies, highlighting gaps in early symptom recognition. These results emphasize the urgent need for targeted public health interventions, early screening, and improved health literacy to address the unique risk profiles of young Pakistani women and reduce cardiovascular mortality.