title: Tinnitus and arterial hypertension: a systematic review.
abstract: Tinnitus is considered a multi-factorial symptom. Arterial hypertension has been cited as a tinnitus etiological factor. To assess the scientific evidence on the associations between arterial hypertension and tinnitus. A systematic review was performed using PubMed, ISI Web, Lilacs and SciELO scientific databases. This review included articles published in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English correlating tinnitus with hypertension. Letters to editors and case reports were excluded. A total of 424 articles were identified, of which only 20 met the inclusion criteria. Studies that analyzed the incidence of hypertension in tinnitus patients tended to show an association, while those that evaluated the incidence of tinnitus in hypertensive patients did not. There is evidence of an association between tinnitus and hypertension, although a cause and effect relationship is uncertain. Changes in the cochlear microcirculation, resulting in hearing loss, may be an adjuvant factor in tinnitus pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Rua dos Otonis, 700, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, RJ, 04025-002, Brazil. rfigueiredo@otosul.com.br.|Valença Medical School, Rua Dom José Costa Campos, 20, Centro, Valença, RJ, 27600-000, Brazil. rfigueiredo@otosul.com.br.
authors.forename: Ricardo Rodrigues
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Otorrinolaringologia Sul-Fluminense, Rua 40, no 20, salas 216 a 218, Vila Santa Cecília, Volta Redonda, RJ, 27255-650, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia Aparecida
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Rua dos Otonis, 700, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04025-002, Brazil.
authors.forename: Norma de Oliveira
authors.initials: Nde O
authors.lastname: Penido
mesh_terms: D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Arterial hypertension; Tinnitus