title: Laboratory assessment of the hypertensive individual. Value of the main guidelines for high blood pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if abnormal laboratory findings are more common in individuals with hypertension and in those with other risk factors, such as obesity, smoking and alcohol ingestion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was carried out in the general outpatient clinics of a university hospital (145 individuals without previous diagnosis of hypertension) and the following variables were assessed: high blood pressure (as defined by the VI Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection and Treatment of High Blood Pressure--VI JNC), obesity [calculated using body mass index (BMI)], tobacco use, and alcoholic ingestion. The laboratory examinations consisted of the following tests: hemogram, glycemia, uric acid, potassium, total/HDL-fraction cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium and creatinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High blood pressure was not associated with a higher number of abnormal laboratory tests. Hypertensive individuals with a BMI > or = 25 kg/m2 or normotensive obese individuals, however, had a higher frequency of diabetes (12X), hypertriglyceridemia (3X), and hypercholesterolemia (2X), as compared with hypertensive individuals with BMI < 25 kg/m2 and preobese/normal weight normotensive individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High blood pressure is not associated with a higher frequency of abnormal laboratory tests. The association of high blood pressure and obesity, however, increases the detection of diabetes and dyslipidemias.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Benseñor
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lotufo
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects