International Journal of Hypertension

Objectives. Low blood pressure (BP) has been proposed as a risk factor of death in elderly patients. However, this association could be partially accounted for by the deleterious effects of BP-lowering drugs. We analyzed whether these drugs are associated to an increased risk of death in elderly patients taking multiple potential confounders into account. Design. This is a prospective cohort study. Setting and Participants. Probabilistic sample of 772 community-dwelling patients aged >65 years living in Spain, who were appointed for an initial clinical visit and followed up through telephone calls 4, 6, 9, 12, and 60 months afterwards. Methods. At baseline visit, BP was measured using standardized methods, and BP medications and risk factors of death in elderly patients (BMI, oxygen saturation, toxic habits, comorbidity, muscular strength, and functional and cognitive capacity) were collected. During the follow-up, the vital status of patients and the date of death were ascertained. Results. During a median 5-year follow-up, 226 all-cause deaths occurred among the 686 participants included in the analysis. In a Cox regression model that included all the BP drug classes, diuretics and nitrites were significantly associated with mortality (). Within diuretics, furosemide was found to be responsible for the association of the group. In multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for BP and the rest of the mortality risk factors, furosemide remained as the only BP drug that was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio 2.34; ). Conclusions. Furosemide was prospectively associated with increased mortality in older people. If confirmed, this drug should be taken into account by prescribers and considered a confounder in BP studies.

Objective. This study aims to analyze the expressions of miR-21, miR-29, and miR-199 in the serum of the patients with H-type hypertension among Kazakhs. Then, we analyzed the effect of MTHFR 677C > T polymorphism on the association between the above miRNA and H-type hypertension. Method. In this study, the expression of miR-21, miR-29, and miR-199 was quantitatively measured in 120 serum samples and then stratified according to the C677T polymorphism to analyze the relationship between target miRNAs and HHcy. Results. The expression of miR-21/-29 in the hypertension group was higher than the normal group (). And the expression of miR-199 was higher in the hcy group than in the normal group (). In the CC and CT genotypes of MTHFR 677C > T, the expression of miR-21 was lower in the HHcy patients than in the normal individuals ( and ) and miR-199 was significantly higher in the HHcy patients than in the normal ones ( and ). No such difference was found in the TT genotype. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and MTHFRC677 T gene polymorphism, miR-21 was negatively correlated with hcy (OR = 0.222, 95% CI (0.101–0.485), ) and miR-199 was positively correlated with hcy (OR = 1.823,95%CI (1.272∼2.614), ). Conclusion. miR-21, miR-29, and miR-199 are associated with H-type hypertension in the Kazakhs, especially hyperhomocysteinemia. And these three miRNAs may serve as biomarkers to provide clues to the potential pathogenesis of H-type hypertension.

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of syndecan-4 (SDC-4) during the hypertensive period in two kidney-two clip (2K2C) hypertension rats and compare them to brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the echocardiographic parameters for diastolic function evaluation in the rat model of 2K2C hypertension. Methods. A total of 36 Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were used in this study. Hypertension was induced in 21 by 2K2C surgery, and 15 were sham-operated. Both the 2K2C hypertension group (n = 21) and the sham-operated group (n = 15) were equally divided into 3 subgroups according to the schedules (week 4, week 8, and week 12). Serum SDC-4 and BNP were detected by ELISA, and echocardiography indexes were acquired. Results. The level of SDC-4 and cardiac fibrosis increased gradually as the experiment was processed, and BNP, Tei index, and E/E′ followed to be raised as high blood pressure was maintained after four weeks in the 2K2C hypertension rats. In the earlier 4 weeks, only SDC-4 and cardiac fibrosis were significantly increased in 2K2C hypertensive rats in comparison with normotensive rats. And it was shown that SDC-4 was positively correlated with BNP level during the entire study (r = 0.762, ). Conclusion. SDC-4 increases gradually during the process of diastolic dysfunction in 2K2C hypertensive rats. SDC-4 is the earliest biomarker reflecting diastolic dysfunction in this model, superior to E/E′ and the Tei index. Our results indicate that serum SDC-4 could act as an early biomarker to show diastolic dysfunction.

Objective. One of the causes of hypertension is a genetic factor. The purpose of this study was to look at the relationship between apolipoprotein E (APOE) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms and essential hypertension in the Hakka population. Methods. The study included 2,850 patients with hypertension and 2,034 controls. APOE rs429358, rs7412, and MTHFR rs1801133 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-microarray. The differences in these polymorphisms between the two groups were analyzed. Results. The genotype and allele frequency of APOE and MTHFR polymorphisms did not differ significantly between hypertensive patients and controls. Patients with hypertension who were APOE rs429358C/C homozygous had higher TG, TC, LDL-C, and Apo-B levels, whereas patients with the T/T genotype had higher HDL-C levels. Patients with hypertension who were APOE rs7412T/T homozygous had higher TG and TC levels and lower LDL-C and Apo-B levels. Homocysteine (Hcy) levels in patients with MTHFR CC, CT, and TT genotypes were increased, while patients with the TT genotype and T allele had higher Hcy levels than those of patients with other genotypes and the C allele. The APOE rs7412T/T genotype in the co-dominant model (APOE rs7412T/T vs. C/C) (gender-, age-, smoking-, and drinking-adjusted OR 2.682, 95% CI, 1.072–6.710, ) was a significant risk factor for hypertension. The APOE rs429358 and MTHFR rs1801133 genotypes in co-dominant, dominant, and recessive models were not significant risk factors for hypertension. Conclusions. It supports that APOE polymorphisms are related to hypertension in the Hakka population. Specifically, the APOE rs7412T/T genotype may be a risk factor for hypertension.

Background. Most of the patients with hypertension (HTN) who undergo medical therapy unaccompanied by psychological and behavioral interventions may not achieve their goal in HTN treatment. Self-care is a key factor in controlling HTN. Given that depression, stress, and anxiety are the most psychological disorders in chronic illnesses. Their impact on self-care, quality of life, and HTN control must be studied more. Methods. We analyzed the difference in medication adherence in 252 patients with low vs. high psychological distress. Also, patients with controlled and uncontrolled HTN were compared according to their psychological distress scores. We further assessed the relation of psychological distress, self-care, and medication adherence with patients’ demographic characteristics. Results. 61.3% of our participants were female with a mean age of 60.6 ± 11.35 and male participants had a mean age of 60.5 ± 11.55. The psychological distress score was significantly higher in women with uncontrolled HTN ( value = 0.044). Also, individuals with controlled HTN tend to have a higher medication adherence score ( value = 0.01) and higher self-care score ( value = 0.033). Hypertensive females had a higher psychological distress score (3.35 ± 2.05) and a lower self-care score (64.05 ± 8.16). There was a positive relationship between age and drug adherence. The self-care score was higher (65.95 ± 7.88) in patients having lower psychological distress levels. Conclusion. A lower psychological distress score can result in better self-care, enhancing the probability of better HTN control; thus, psychological interventions may be necessary for the treatment of HTN. However, more studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of this intervention.

Introduction. Hypertension (HPT) is recognized as a significant public health problem worldwide from a health and economic perspective. This study determined predictors of nonadherence to HPT medications in Ghana using the health belief model. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive survey employing a quantitative approach was conducted among HPT patients who routinely attend clinics at selected hospitals in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Respondents (n = 399) were recruited using a multistage sampling technique. Results. The prevalence of nonadherence was 63.7% (n = 254). Nonadherence to hypertension medication was associated with lower education status (). In logistic regression analysis, patients with high “perceived susceptibility” and “perceived severity” were more likely to forfeit their HPT medication schedules, while patients with high “perceived barriers” and “cues to action” were less likely to skip their medication. Conclusion. The present study suggests a plausible path to improving medication adherence in this population. Given the high prevalence of nonadherence, policymakers need to urgently design tailor-made health promotion interventions to ensure optimal health outcomes.