ANALYSIS OF LIPID PROFILES AND HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a prevalent cardiovascular condition associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Dyslipidemia and altered hematological parameters are commonly observed in hypertensive patients and may exacerbate cardiovascular risk.

Objective: The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of dyslipidemia and abnormal hematological parameters in hypertensive patients and to evaluate their relationships with systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fazaia Medical College Air University, Islamabad from January 2024 to June 2024 involving 135 hypertensive patients, who were recruited from a single healthcare facility. Lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides, were measured. Hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count were also assessed. Correlation analyses were performed to determine the relationships between these parameters and blood pressure.

Results: The study population had a mean age of 55.6 ± 9.8 years. The mean total cholesterol level was 215.4 ± 38.2 mg/dL, with 59.3% of patients exhibiting elevated levels. LDL-C was elevated in 67.4% of patients, and 72.6% had low HDL-C levels. Triglyceride levels were elevated in 53.3% of patients. Hematological analysis revealed that 29.6% of patients had low hemoglobin levels, 23.7% had low hematocrit, 16.3% had elevated WBC counts, and 12.6% had elevated platelet counts. Significant positive correlations were found between LDL-C and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.42, p < 0.001), and negative correlations between HDL-C and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.30, p = 0.002). Hematocrit levels showed a weak positive correlation with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.24, p = 0.012).

Conclusion: The study identified a high prevalence of dyslipidemia and abnormal hematological parameters among hypertensive patients. These abnormalities were significantly associated with variations in blood pressure levels.