Hypertension and lipids.
Hypertension and hyperlipidaemia are closely interrelated. Both belong to the most important risk factors of cardiovascular disease, with special emphasis on the premature development of atherosclerosis and its complications. The prevalence of both hypertension and hyperlidaemia is high; in the Polish adult population, like in many other countries, it amounts to 20-40% and 60-70%, respectively. The prevalence of hyperlipidaemia in patients with essential hypertension is much higher than in the normotensive subjects and both abnormalities markedly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In so called Familial Dyslipidaemic Hypertension, the 16 years mortality rates were 4 times higher than in subjects with dyslipidaemia and hypertension as single risk factors. The present data point to essential hypertension as a metabolic disorder, which may have some pathogenetic links with the derangement of lipid metabolism. According to the recent results, only about 15% of all hypertensives do not exhibit metabolic disturbances. One of the most important topics in this respect is the influence of antihypertensive drugs on metabolic factors, with special reference to lipid metabolism. Some of these drugs may have unfavourable action on lipid variables, while other are neutral or even beneficial. These differences may have great impact on the therapeutic approach to hypertensive patients and form the basis for the concept of individualized therapy of hypertension. The goal of antihypertensive therapy is not only to lower the blood pressure but also to influence all other factors which may be significant for the prognosis. Only such an integrated approach may prevent atherosclerotic complications and reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Sznajderman
M
M
Department of Hypertension, National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents