title: Prevalence of retinopathy in hypertensive patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of retinopathy in hypertensive patients referred to a teaching hospital in Yazd, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 213 hypertensive patients referring to a teaching hospital in Yazd, Iran between November 2004 and June 2005. Data were collected using a questionnaire after an interview and ocular examination. Demographic variables, hypertensive retinopathy, familial history of hypertension, duration of diagnosis, and other hypertension side effects such as cardiac, renal, cerebro-vascular complications were analyzed. The Scheie's staging system was used for retinopathy grading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 213 patients (95 men, 118 women) with high blood pressure aged between 25 and 85 years (mean age of 64.47 +/- 10.66 years) were enrolled in this study, wherein 39.9% of patients suffered from retinopathy. This rate was higher in women (45.6%) than in men (33%). The positive familial history of hypertension was reported in 47.8% of patients. The prevalence rate of retinopathy in patients suffering from mild hypertension was 25.3%, moderate hypertension was 34.5% and severe hypertension 84.6%. Of the patients with retinopathy, 42.36% had grade I, 20% had grade II and 2.35% had grade III retinopathy. The most common ophthalmoscopic findings were arteriolar narrowing (35.13%), arterio-venous nicking (17.12%) and cotton wool patches (9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive family history of hypertension and target organs involvement are important risk factors for retinopathy. Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension to prevent complications is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shahid Sadoghi Hospital, Safaeyeh, Razi Medical Building, Taleghani Boulevard, Yazd, Iran. mrbesharty@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Besharati
authors.forename: Abolghasem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rastegar
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shoja
authors.forename: Mahmood E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Maybodi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D015995:Prevalence; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires