ABSTRACT
Free radical activity oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases. In an attempt to define the role of oxidative stress, dyslipidemia and geometric changes in hypertensive patients [HT], we studied 44 patients, 20 [45.5%] Essential hypertensive [EH], 14 [31.8%] diabetic hypertensive [DH] and 10[22.7%] renal hypertensive [RH]. They were assessed by measurement of some free radicals and antioxidants, serum lipids and echocardiography, the data was compared with 10 age and sex matched normal subjects. There was a significant decrease in important natural antioxidant vitamins C, E, A and reduced glutathione [RG] and a significant increase in lipid peroxide level [LPO] in all groups of hypertensive patients as compared to control. The mean value of cholesterol [C] concentrations in all the hypertensive patients was significantly higher than in controls [P<0.001] Triglycerides [TG] were significantly higher in diabetic hypertensive patients in comparison to controls [P<0.001], HDL-C mean values were reduced significantly in [EH], [RH] groups. LDL-C mean values in all groups of hypertensive were significantly increased [P<0.01]. 38.6% of our patients had concentric left ventricular hypertrophy [CLVH], 13.6% had eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy [ELVH], 13.6% had concentric remodeling [CR] and 34% had normal geometry. We conclude that oxidative stress was observed in all groups of hypertensive patients and we recommend the use of antioxidants as an adjunct to antihypertensive therapy