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Published on: September 26, 2018

Target organ damage and cardiovascular risk factors among subjects with previously undiagnosed hypertension

Päivi E Korhonen1, Hannu Kautiainen2, Salme Järvenpää3

  • 1Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities, Harjavalta, Finland Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland paivi.e.korhonen@fimnet.fi.

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
|January 22, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Undiagnosed hypertension is common, with 22% of patients showing signs of target organ damage. Many also have multiple cardiovascular risk factors, indicating a high risk for future events.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Prevalence of target organ damage in undiagnosed hypertension is largely unknown.
  • Subclinical organ damage and cardiometabolic risk factors are key indicators of cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of subclinical target organ damage in individuals with previously undiagnosed hypertension.
  • To assess the association between undiagnosed hypertension and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional population survey.
  • Measured ankle-brachial index (ABI), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and electrocardiographically determined left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH).
  • Included individuals with undiagnosed hypertension (n=138) and normotensive at-risk individuals (n=440).

Main Results:

  • 22% of individuals with undiagnosed hypertension showed evidence of subclinical organ damage (ECG-LVH, ABI ≤ 0.90, or eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)).
  • No significant difference in renal insufficiency prevalence between groups.
  • Most individuals with undiagnosed hypertension had multiple cardiometabolic risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • One in five patients with previously undiagnosed hypertension exhibit subclinical target organ damage.
  • Three in four patients with undiagnosed hypertension may be considered at high cardiovascular risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
Hypertensionleft ventricular hypertrophyperipheral arterial diseaserenal insufficiencyrisk factors

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