The Effects of Body Mass Index on the Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Patients with Essential Hypertension

To examine effects of body mass index on cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive women. Study Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study Subjects: 446 hypertensive subjects attending the endocrinology outpatient Measurements: Height, weight, resting blood pressure, pulse pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol concentrations, insulin resistance with HOMA, medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and smoking status. Results: Obese hypertensive patients had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and LDL-C concentrations. Total / HDL-C ratio and HOMA were significantly higher in obese patients compared with non-obese patients. No significant differences were observed with respect to total cholesterol and HDL-C levels. Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and high total / HDL-C ratio were highly prevalent in the obese hypertensive patients. There were significant relationships between obesity and blood pressure, pulse pressure, insulin resistance. Conclusions: Hypertensive subjects with BMI>30 kg / m2 carry a burden of common coronary risk factors such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension and wider pulse pressure.