Assessment of Atherosclerotic risk among United Arab Emirates Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be a major health concern associated with a high mortality rate. Assessing atherosclerotic risk is a crucial role in preventing future cardiovascular disorders and halting disease progression. Patients at risk of cardiovascular development are recommended to implement lifestyle modifications and initiate appropriate pharmacologic therapies. Objectives: The objectives are to assess the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (ASCVD) and evaluate the effect of the sociodemographic characteristics. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between April and September 2023 through an online questionnaire distributed in hospital and community pharmacies via social media platforms. Results: A total of 440 participants were enrolled in the study, majority 85.5% were males within the age range of 40 to 59 years. Over a third of the participants (37.5%) were classified as having a low risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). In contrast, only 11.4% of the participants were found to have a high risk of developing ASCVD. An increase in the odds of ASCVD high risk category was significantly associated with increased age, income, being a smoker, and increased distress with a p-value <0.05. Conversely, being a female, working in the medical field, and receiving no Aspirin were significantly associated with lower odds of high risk ASCVD category with a p-value <0.05. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the majority of the participants had moderate to high ASCVD risk and the risk is higher with advanced age, smoking status, and increased distress level. Our study highlights the importance of initiating early medications and increasing awareness among patients.