Lipoprotein (a) and ischemic heart disease in patients with hypertensive disease

Relationship between level of lipoprotein (a) and presence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) was studied in 191 patients with hypertensive disease (essential hypertension) (112 men, 79 women, age 56.9 +/- 10.6 years) and 33 patients with normal blood pressure (23 men, 10 women, age 50.8 +/- 11.0 years). Concentration of lipoprotein (a) in men with hypertension and IHD (n = 62) was significantly higher than in men with hypertension without IHD (n = 50) (median 19 and 9 mg/dl, respectively, p = 0.02). Women with hypertension and with (n = 23) and without (n = 56) IHD had similar blood levels of lipoprotein (a) (median 13 and 15 mg/dl, respectively, p = 0.89). Difference in lipoprotein (a) levels between patients with hypertensive disease and those with normal blood pressure was not significant (median 14 and 10 mg/dl,: respectively, p = 0.50).