A study of lipid levels in uncomplicated hypertension.

ABSTRACT

A number of risk factors for coronary artery disease are known to be present in hypertensive patients, the most important being hyperlipidemia. An analysis of the lipid profiles of 3,182 uncomplicated non-diabetic patients (2,425 males, 757 females) who attended two institutions of Patna city between 1992-1998 was conducted alongwith 4,131 controls. Mean total cholesterol was slightly higher (but statistically significant; p < or = 0.05) in hypertensives (191.8 mg/dL vs 190.1 mg/dL) as compared to the control group; mean total cholesterol-HDL ratio was also higher (4.65 vs 4.48) in hypertensives (p < or = 0.05). As per National Cholesterol Education Programme guidelines, 1,069 (33.6%) patients had cholesterol level above 200 mg/dL while 850 (26.7%) had triglycerides over 200 mg/dL among the hypertensive group. An abnormal total cholesterol-HDL ratio (> 4.5) was found in 1,600 (50.3%) of the hypertensives; this was by far the most common abnormality. With increasing severity of hypertension, the prevalence of elevated total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol was higher; triglyceride levels were less affected. These results indicate that an abnormal total cholesterol-HDL ratio is the most common variety of dyslipidemia in uncomplicated hypertension.