CLINICAL STUDY OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION WITH REFERENCE TO LIPID PROFILE

A study of serum lipid profile in patients of essential hypertension was carried out in the Department of Medicine, Down Town Hospital, Guwahati. All available literatures related to the problem of essential hypertension and serum lipid profile have been extensively reviewed. Hundred patients of essential hypertension were included in the present study and another fifty healthy, age and sex matched subjects were taken as controls. The patients in the present study varied from 31 years to 90 years with the mean age of 61.35 years. The maximum numbers of cases (44%) belong to age group of 50-70 years, followed by 29% in 30-50 year age group and 27% in above 70 year age group. Fifty two percent of patients had age at onset of hypertension between 30-50 year age group (52%), followed by 47% of cases in 50-70 year age group. The maximum numbers of cases (35%) were having hypertension of 6 year to 10 year duration, followed by 29% between 1 year to 5 years duration. Both 11-15 years and more than 15 years group had 18 % of cases each. The patients with essential hypertension had significantly increased levels of TC, TGL, VLDL, TC/HDL and LDL/HDL. There is general derangement of the lipid profile among the Index cases as BMI increases. It was as also found to be the same pattern among males and female index cases. Total Cholesterol (p<0.001), Triglyceride (p<0.05), LDL (p<0.05), VLDL (p<0.05), TC/HDL (p<0.01) and LDL/HDL (p<0.01) are statistically significant in overweight (BMI>30) male hypertensive cases as compared to overweight controls. No statistical significant changes are observed between lipid profiles of healthy weight hypertensive males and healthy weight males in control group. Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TGL), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), TC/HDL and LDL/HDL were raised in CVA cases as compared to Non-CVA cases in Index group, but not significant statistically. Also High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) was lower in CVA group as compared to Non-CVA but not significant statistically. Both alcohol and smoking have adverse effects on heart as CHD in the patient of hypertension in the Index group. Also smoking has one more adverse effect as CVA. Alcohol had increased incidences of CVA, TIA and Retinopathy, but not significant statistically. Smoking has also increased the incidences of TIA and Retinopathy, but not significant statisticall