INADEQUATE CONTROL OF ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION ON OBESE PATIENTS - RESULTS OF BLOOD-PRESSURE SCREENING AT WORK-SITE

In this study we investigated whether blood pressure control was different in lean compared to obese hypertensive subjects and whether the quality of blood pressure control was influenced by the kind of antihypertensive drug treatment. At work-sire we assessed the medical history of 6,303 subjects with emphasis on previously or actually taken antihypertensive medication, weight, height, and casual blood pressure (cuff girth adjusted to arm circumference). 546 patients were on antihypertensive medication. Despite treatment, every third treated hypertensive patient had blood pressure values greater than or equal to 160/95 mmHg indicating inadequate blood pressure control. Age-adjusted values of systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure were computed in all treated hypertensives: The greater the body mass index the higher was in particular systolic blood pressure (p<0.051 in men and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.05) in women, though all were on antihypertensive treatment. Nonobese compared to obese sex- and age-matched patients showed a trend to an increased systolic (4.6 mmHg) as well as diastolic (3.7 mmHg) blood pressure (p<0.05). No impact of the choice of given antihypertensive drug was found. In conclusion, we found worse blood pressure control in obese than in lean hypertensive patients. This does further increase the cardiovascular risk of obese hypertensive patients and therefore emphasizes strict blood pressure control particularly in obese hypertensive patients.