[Epidemiology of hypertension in chronic hemodialysis].
BACKGROUND
Hypertension is a common and important cardiovascular risk factor in patients on chronic hemodialysis.


OBJECTIVE
To report the prevalence and characteristics of hypertension among patients on chronic hemodialysis.


METHODS
Cross sectional study of 313 patients (192 male, aged 57 +/- 18 years) dialyzed in 7 representative centers in Santiago, Chile.


RESULTS
Patients were on hemodialysis for a mean of 68 +/- 53 months and 67 (21%) were diabetic. 230 (74%) were hypertensive and 223 of these (97%) had predialysis hypertension. A multivariate analysis showed that hypertension was associated with increased weight gain between dialysis, failure to achieve the postdialysis dry weight, increasing age and the presence of diabetes. Among hypertensive patients, 61% were receiving antihypertensive medications, compared with 27% of patients with normal blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
High blood pressure is highly prevalent among patients on chronic hemodialysis and is associated to hypervolemia, age and the presence of diabetes.
Unidades de Diálisis, Clínica Las Condes y Clínica Dávila, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
Antonio
A
Vukusich
Alberto
A
Fierro
Jorge
J
Morales
Andrés
A
Fantuzzi
Cynthia
C
Vukusich
Jaime
J
Mañalich
Carlos
C
Zehnder
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume