Prevalence of comorbid hypertension and dyslipidemia and associated cardiovascular disease.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of concurrent hypertension and dyslipidemia among a general veteran population and separately among patients with diabetes mellitus, and to compare the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among groups with isolated versus concurrent hypertension and dyslipidemia.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
This study was conducted in 6 medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs and included 371221 patients seen for any reason from October 1, 1998, to September 30, 2001. The proportion of patients with isolated or concurrent hypertension and dyslipidemia was estimated based on diagnostic, pharmacy, laboratory, and vital sign information, and the age-adjusted proportions of individuals with cardiovascular disease were compared between groups.


RESULTS
We found that 57.8% of all patients had hypertension or dyslipidemia; 30.7% had both. Sixteen percent of all patients had diabetes mellitus, and 66.3% of these patients had concomitant hypertension and dyslipidemia. The prevalence of coronary artery disease was often more than doubled among patients with concomitant conditions compared with patients with either condition alone. The prevalence of stroke and peripheral arterial disease similarly increased among patients with both conditions. The prevalence of these cardiovascular diseases was highest among patients with diabetes mellitus.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease was high among this population of older, predominately male US veterans.
Johnson
Michael L
ML
Houston Center for Quality of Care and Utilization Studies, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Tex 77030, USA. mjohnson@bcm.tmc.edu
Pietz
Kenneth
K
Battleman
David S
DS
Beyth
Rebecca J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*