Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of mortality worldwide. The national prevalence remains unclear in most of the developing countries.

Objective: This study sought to estimate national prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris in the general adult population of Iran using data from the fourth round of the Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases (SuRFNCD-2011) survey.

Methods: The analysis comprised data of 11,867 civilian, nonhospitalized and noninstitutionalized residents ages 6 to 70 years of age. The calculated prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris were extrapolated to the Iranian adult population who were >20 years old using the complex sample analysis. The factor analysis was performed for clustering of the associated cardiometabolic risk factors among people ages >40 years of age.

Results: The estimated national prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris were 5.3% (95% confidence interval: 4.6 to 5.9) and 7.7% (95% confidence interval: 4.6 to 8.7), respectively. Higher prevalence of these conditions were observed among the older people, urban residents, and women. Factor analysis generated 4 distinct factors that were mainly indicators of dyslipidemia, hypertension, central obesity, hyperglycemia, and tobacco smoking. The factor incorporating hypertension was a significant correlate of selfreported CHD.

Conclusions: We report concerning prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris in the adult population of Iran. The constellation of raised systolic and diastolic blood pressures was significantly predictive of the presence of self-reported CHD.

Highlights

• The prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris was determined in the adult population of Iran in 2011.
• The estimated national prevalence of self-reported CHD was calculated at 5.3% (95% CI: 4.6 to 5.9).
• The estimated national prevalence of chronic stable angina pectoris was calculated at 7.7% (95% CI: 4.6 to 8.7).
• Hypertension was an independent correlate of self-reported CHD and chronic angina pectoris among Iranian adult population.
• Monitoring people with raised SBP and DBP should be the focus of future nationwide CHD prevention programs.