The relationship between vitamin D levels and nondipper hypertension

Nondipper hypertension is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and hypertension. We aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on nondipper hypertension.

This study included total 200 essential hypertensive patients. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed for each patient. In addition to routine tests, vitamin D levels were analysed.

The study population was divided into two groups: 100 dipper patients (mean age; 50.6±9.9 years, 54 women and 46 men) and 100 nondipper patients (mean age; 49.2±8.2 years, 53 women and 47 men). Clinical blood pressures were significantly higher in nondipper hypertensives than dipper hypertensives (systolic blood pressures 141.2±5.6 vs. 139.1±6.6 mmHg, diastolic blood pressures 88.4±2.6 mmHg vs. 87.4±3.4, P<0.05, respectively). Nondipper patients showed lower levels of vitamin D compared with dippers (21.1±3.5, 31±7.1 ng/ml, P<0.001, respectively). A significant positive correlation was observed between vitamin D and the rate of nocturnal systolic and diastolic blood pressure fall (r=0.525, P<0.001 and r=0.512, P<0.001, respectively)

Vitamin D levels are significantly lower in patients with nondipper hypertension than patients with dipper hypertension.